CARLETTEStheTHE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WEST LAFAYETTE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

DECEMBER 11TH, 2009VOLUME 67, ISSUE 5

NEWS 2

OPINIONS 4

A&E 6

FEATURES 9

SPORTS 11

STUDENT LIFE 12

Check Out What’s Inside:

The West Lafayette football team went into the November 29 IHSAA state championship game with high expectations for success. They were the fi rst team in sixteen years from West Lafayette to make it to the state championship game and they were not willing to come home empty handed. With three solid football seasons behind them, the team was fi nally ready to take home the gold. And after a spectacular 24-10 victory over Evansville Memorial, the Red Devils walked away from Lucas Oil Stadium as the newly crowned 2009 Class 3A state football champions.

The game itself was an exciting match-up of two extremely good teams; however, Coach Overley said, “I think we all thought that we were going to win.” While West Lafayette was favored to win, the team wasn’t taking any chances.

Coach Overley said that the team’s mantra during the state tournament run was to “Respect every team, [yet] fear no team.” The Devils did just that, taking control of the ball from the fi rst kickoff and scoring a touchdown early in

the fi rst quarter against Evansville M e m o r i a l ’ s f o r m i d a b l e defensive line. However, Coach Overley was not assured of any success just yet.

“I didn’t become confi dent until the end of the fi rst half when we drove 93 yards in less than two minutes.”

After the last-second touchdown at the end of the half, West Lafayette was almost certainly assured a state victory. With the combined efforts of quarterback Daniel Wodicka and what he called the spectacular defensive line, the Red Devils cinched the title.

“Daniel Wodicka is the realest,” said junior football player Aaron Woodard of Wodicka’s great game performance.

The game was a memorable one, especially for the football players and coaches. Head Coach, Mr. Overley, was

especially impressed with the large fan turnout at the stadium. “I wish you could have been with us [on the fi eld] Coming out of that tunnel and seeing the scarlet and gray… It was just this huge roar. It was one of the neatest things,” he commented.

Superfan captain Mark Timmerman was also in awe of the power of the student section. “All the students were collectively ready and we cheered like crazy,” he said. The student section was jam-packed with enthusiastic fans welding infl atable toilets urging the Devils to “Flush Evansville

Memorial” and giant aluminum rings representing the state championship rings that would be the football players’ once they claimed the state title.

The marching band, dance team and cheerleaders were also invited to join the football team in their questfor the state title. Senior dance team captain, Kimberly Lucht, commented on how exciting it was to be at Lucas Oil Stadium: “I walked in through the tunnel and the enormity of the situation amazed me. And the fact that [the championship] happened my senior year made it better. It was amazing!”

The effort displayed by the West Lafayette football team was memorable itself and has made the community proud. So many people have built intothis,” said Coach O. “We here, right now,are a part of West Lafayette history.” The football players are also proud of their hard work.

“[The championship] felt like it didn’t really happen,” said senior football player Taylor Smith, “It hasn’t really hit me yet. I feel like I’m on a cloud.”

Wodicka thanked the coaches and teachers of West Side for their help in making this championship possible as well as saying that he was disappointed that his high school football career was over, but he added, “I’m glad that we came out on top!” Woodard agreed, saying, “It felt good to help the team win state.”

WL Red Devils Cease State TitleBY MOLLIE WESTBROOKwestbrookm.scarlette@gmail.com

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: The West Side team celebrates their win on the sacred fi eld of Lucas Oil. Photo by Shriya Manian

REVERIE: Zach Tudor cheers for the Red Devils alongside his fellow Superfans.Photo by Shriya Manian

The Best of 2009: movies, music, videos, quotes, and more on page 6-7.

Is the secularization of Christmas good or bad for society? Read the

debate on page 5.

This swimming superstar gets a close up on page 11.

NEWS DECEMBER 11TH, 2009PAGE 2Proposed Tax Referendum Provokes Heated Debate

At the end of its meeting on Wednesday evening of December 2nd, the West Lafayette School Board unanimously approved putting the question of West Lafayette’s tax referendum to the city council. This will allow residents to vote upon a seven year property tax of at most 0.43% that would go towards raising the $3.5 million needed to support West Lafayette Schools. The majority of this tax will fund teacher salaries. Because all West Lafayette residents could be affected, community vote on the issue is needed. Many believe a positive vote is crucial. As emphasized by School Board member David Granat, “government has obligation to not make endangered school corporations [into] extinct species.” Although 4000 brochures this fall were sent notifying West Lafayette residents of the meeting, the attendance at Happy Hollow Media Center was meager. The forty participants consisted of West Lafayette parents, alumni, teachers, and students. Members fi rst expressed views directed towards consequences brought by the tax, rather than its vote referendum. Former West Side Principal, Dr. Anne Koivo, stated that the tax in effect is the only option for the “future of students and benefi t of the community.” Without an economic upswing to provide more income for increased sales tax, “we cannot have it any other way.”

Concerning the tax referendum and its vote, there is much at stake beyond the quality of education at West Lafayette Schools. According to Superintendent Rocky Killion, there is a delicate balance with local economic development. “Employers use West Lafayette Schools to attract potential employees and patrons,” he stated. Property values are also held at stake because “buyers pay 12-19% premium for homes they own in the school district.” Owners of property can be negatively affected. Landlord John Basham stated his favor to “turn down the tax referendum,” regardless of allowing vote. He pays $700,000 each year, which would be increased to a million if the referendum were to be

approved. “I am not against West Lafayette School Corporation, having given to its programs; however the timing [for the referendum] is wrong.” Others, subject to already high taxes, expressed disapproval. One

woman voiced her anger at being taxed $3600 for a small condo at Green Tree: “This is obscene, but it would rise even more.” In addition, vacancies could occur from rising mortgages and property taxes, driving out local businesses such as Mr. and Mrs. Tire, Rubia Flower Market, and Dog and Suds. Afterwards, audience members swiveled the discussion back toward the original issue of opening referendum on the tax. There was growing support by West Lafayette parent Vicky Woeste, who stated that we are “enmeshed in economic recession, a culture that frowns on taxation, and policy that places school corporations without state help...we must proceed and give community a chance to decide.” When caught between a rock and a hard place, it was decided by the School Board that the education is of utmost importance because of what it gives to the city and children of residents. “Education costs, but it pays,” quipped Superintendent Killion, recommending that there be a fi nancial committee to propose tax rates for fi nal decision by the School Board. He elaborated that even if tax rate were to near 0.4% or forty cents per one hundred dollars, “this would only impact tax rates by 15% for landlords...we must support the integrity of our schools.” School Board District Diane Sautter proposed the tax referendum notion

BY WANYOUNG KIMkimw.scarlette@gmail.com

BY HANA PARKparkh.scarlette@gmail.com

• “Look Back – Looking Forward: Ceramic Art” Exhibit at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette (102 South 10th Street, Lafayette) from now until January 15th. Open Monday through Friday from 11am to 4pm. Free admission.

• “Tuba/Christmas Parade/Holiday Cheer & All That Jazz” concert at the Loeb Playhouse Stewart Center on Friday, Dec 11th (Tuba tunes at 7pm and Jazz band at 8pm). Free admission.

• “Purdue Christmas Show” at the Elliott Hall of Music on Saturday, Dec 12th at Noon and 4pm and on Sunday the13th at 2pm. Tickets are $20 (for those of 13 years of age through college age) and could be purchased online through Ticketmaster, at any Purdue Box Offi ce location, or at the door.

• High School Orchestra Concert on Dec. 13th at 7pm in the auditorium. Free admission.

• *Girls Varsity and Junior Varsity Basketball game against Carroll at Carroll on Thursday, Dec. 17th at 6pm.

• *Boys Varsity and Junior Varsity Basketball game against Benton Central at Benton Central on Dec, 18th at 6:30pm

• *Varsity and Junior Varsity Wrestling match at West Lafayette on Saturday, Dec. 19th at 8am

• *Coed Varsity Swimming and Diving meet at Hamilton Southeastern on Monday, Dec. 21st at 6pm.

• “Holiday Luminaria” on 9th Street Hill, Hitt, and 7th Streets, Lafayette on Tuesday, Dec 22nd to Thursday the 24th, starting at 6pm. Free admission.

*Cost of admission not provided.

Ways to Have a Holly, Jolly Winter

Break

“Education costs, but it pays.”

-Superintendent Killion

lNVOLVED CITIZENS: John Basham voices his opinion on the proposed referendum.Photo by Wanyoung Kim

NEWSDECEMBER 11TH, 2009 PAGE 3

Few West Lafayette residents are aware that former governor of Arkan-sas and former presidential candi-date Mike Huckabee visited Purdue University last week as the keynote speaker at Tippecanoe County Right to Life Annual Banquet. In an effort to reach out to local youth media, Huckabee held an interview session during the reception before the ban-quet.

Students from the Purdue Exponent and local high school newspapers were afforded the opportunity to lis-ten to him speak in an intimate envi-ronment.

Though he only answered one or two questions, he went into relative

Local Youth Media GetOpportunity to Interview

Mike Huckabee BY MARGARET DUVALL AND SHALU MITTALmargaret.scarlette@gmail.comshalu.scarlette@gmail.com

West Lafayette Youth Council Spreads Holiday SpiritBY YI YANGyangy.scarlette@gmail.com

Come every December, the holiday stress seems to rise with age. Teens attempt one last-ditch effort to avoid the thought of fi nal exams, parents scramble to shop, organize, and live up to their Christmas tradition, and young children around the nation become the true ambassadors of the joyous holiday spirit.

ACSL Plans to Update WLHS Website

This year, kids have something more to be excited for. This past Saturday, the West Lafayette Youth Council teamed up with Greater Lafayette Commerce to host a craft station, open to all adventurous children at the Wabash Landing.

Event coordinator, senior Anita Wong, said that the station drew a continuous crowd from nine in the morning to four in the afternoon, when the event ended. Members of Youth Council teamed up as pairs to monitor the station throughout the day.

“I felt quite overwhelmed at times because we did not anticipate such large groups of children coming in…but overall it was a fun experience,” said Youth Council member senior Lillian Mui. At the station, the children could use Popsicle sticks to make a holiday deer, or construct a holiday tree with paper and markers. Candy was also available to satisfy the children’s holiday cravings.

One group of children especially caught the Youth Council members’ attention. Later recalled by Himaja Govindaraju, a group of four boys missed their mother who was in Texas visiting family.

currently use the school website, but it would be helpful if it weremerged or linked to homework related sites, such as WebAssign or Moodle.

Sarah’s frustration with the cur-rent website is that any download-able item, such as the school cal-endar, is an attachment that is not directly linked to the school web-site, serving as a time-waster and a source of frustration.

Francesca explained, “I would defi nitely use the school website more if it were easier to navigate and more aesthetically pleasing.”

The club will soon distribute a survey to get an idea of what chang-es students, parents, and teachers would like, but in the meantime, students can contribute their opin-ion by getting in contact with An-drew Burchill, Zach Burchill, Hiro-shi Fukada, or Zach Baiel.

As technology continues to ad-vance, West Side’s school website becomes increasingly outdated. As senior Francesca Shipsey put it, “The website looks like it’s from the time when computers were invented... no offense.”

The American Computer Science League is planning to revolutionize the website, making it more user-friendly and current. Under the lead-ership of President Andrew Burchill, ACSL plans to redo the website with Joomla, an innovative content man-agement system.

The club is already taking into consideration student opinions. Ju-nior Sarah Lim voiced that “the web-site is not up to date, and [it is] kind of useless”.

She explained that she does not

detail and made sure to communi-cate clearly and openly. After speak-ing about his support of the fair tax, a Purdue student asked Huckabee about the controversial issue of abor-tion.

“Sanctity of life is one of the most critical issues of our day,” Huckabee explained. “If we come to a place as a culture where we begin to devalue anyone’s life… then we have to accept that the logical consequence is that someday, someone may draw that line around us.”

He elaborated on his ideas dur-ing the banquet, giving a 45-minute speech to a crowd of approximately 500 supporters.

BY ALYEESHA PURIpuria.scarlette@gmail.com

After settling in, each of them made their own special craft to give to her when she returns. “Itwas a worthwhile experience just to put smiles on their happy faces,” said Himaja.

Overall, the positive sentiment was echoed by everyone else who was involved. In the words of the traditional carol, it is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

CRAFT TIME: Amy Wong helps a young girl make a Christmas tree. Photo provided by Amy Wong

LET IT SNOW: Volunteers assist in Christmas-themed craft creati ons. Photo provided by Amy Wong

Staff of The Scarlette

News EditorMollie Westbrook

Opinions EditorAnne McDougall

Features EditorAndrew Burchill

A&E / Student Life EditorZarina Madan

Sports EditorYi Yang

ReportersAlyeesha PuriAndrew BurchillAndrew SokolchikAnjona GhoshAngel GruzeAnne McDougallHana ParkLindsay GrimleyMarie ZhangMarissa KoorsMollie WestbrookShravani MerugureddyVictor GutweinWanyoung KimWill DeBoerYi YangZach BurchillZarina Madan

Artists / PhotographersGayatri NarayananAnna ChenShriya ManianLindsay GrimleyConnie Yang

Page DesignersConnie YangZarina MadanAnjona GhoshAndrew BurchillAnne McDougallAnna Chen

Mission: The Scarlette strives to create a publication that is informative, entertain-ing, accurate, and professional. The mission of the Scarlette is to accurately, truthfully, and professionally report on events and issues that are of interest to the student body, entertain readers, and serve as a valuable archive of the happenings of the school.

The Scarlette Editorial Policy Scarlette provides a limited forum for reader expression. Letters to the editor must be received seven days prior to publication date in the box pro-vided in the offi ce. Letters should be 250 words or less. Longer submissions may be considered as a guest column. All are subject to editing for content and length. Personal attacks and unfair attacks on businesses or unsigned letters will not be published. The editorial represents the views of majority of the staff. Views printed do not necessarily refl ect the opinions of the faculty, staff, or administration of the WLCSC.

Editors-in-ChiefShalu MittalMargaret Duvall

OPINIONS DECEMBER 11TH, 2009PAGE 4

Seriously SpeakingMihai Avram

It has come to our attention that the general opinion of the average teenager is that of a lazy and apathetic snob who doesn’t care about anything other than the time of the next episode of The Offi ce. That is simply not the case. Today’s youth is just as busy as the youth of past generations, if not busier. The problem is that as our ever changing world evolves, the baby boom generation, and its predecessors, doesn’t. Our parents still expect us to use phones that are connected to the wall to communicate, while our grandparents expect the men to go to school while the ladies sit around the house waiting for an arranged marriage. They simply do not grasp the idea of change and evolution.

Our generation has a lot more to think about and a lot more goals to accomplish in much less time. We can’t be considered inconsiderate and detached from the world just because we text people while listening to music and studying for a math test. We simply do not have the time to do each thing separately. In today’s society, we aren’t faced with problems such as the possibility of the Russians invading the woods of Montana. However, we are faced with even more serious problems, such as where to get the money to pay for our college education, and how to balance soccer, NHS, taping for fi lm lit, and maintaining our rep, something our grandparents didn’t have to worry

Staff Editorial: In Defense of Today’s Youthabout nearly as much. Our generation is forced to balance school, homework, sports, extracurricular activities, family, and social life every day. Most days we don’t even have time to sit down and eat a healthy dinner while other days we never even get to see the light of day, spending hours in the catacombs of our seemingly windowless school. After seeing movies with self-involved teens such as Superbad and Juno, it’s easy to forget that just this last presidential election, the youth voter turnout was at its highest yet. We let our opinions be heard by donating, volunteering, and spreading the word about our candidates. This point brings up another reason why the image of our generation is so skewed and biased; the media. The media likes to portray the youth of America as a bunch of knocked up, drunk, high, and stupid little kids who only like to party and beat up on children with pocket protectors, taped glasses, and a foreign accent. It’s easy to think that you understand the life of a teenager when all of the movies that are made about them consist of drinking beer, smoking pot, and having sex; it’s easy to mistake movies for the real thing. This might come as a shocker, but in reality, most teenagers don’t move to Washington and fall in love with creepy looking vampires, and they certainly don’t get accepted to fi ne magical institutions in the middle of England.

However, even if all of the opinions are true,even if our generation does love to do drugs, havesex, and party all night long, so what? What haschanged? Some of the same adults who blame us for enjoying and partaking in these activitiesare the ones who never truly made it home fromWoodstock. So get over it, stop dreaming about your past childhood experiences and let us enjoy ours.

SAVE THE WHALES: Many young adults are involved in clubs and acti viti es to improve the community. Graphic by Gayatri Narayanan

OPINIONSDECEMBER 11TH, 2009 PAGE 5

The mention of Christmas brings memories, hopes, dreams, and the like. Maybe your Christmas experience is tied into the Christian tradition, maybe you are one of many who celebrate the season purely for the value you fi nd in its joy, or maybe you don’t partake in the festivities at all. No matter the situation, it’s hard to deny that every person receives a feeling of warmth and enhanced love during the season.

Christmas is thought of as a Christian holiday, and a majority of those who celebrate Christmas focus on the story of the birth of Jesus, but the Bible makes no specifi c mention to the date of the birth. Though there are many ideas about the origins of the current date, December 25th, from the Pagan festival of Saturnalia to Druid customs, one cannot deny that throughout history, different

When in the course of human events, people lose the meaning in their rich history, it becomes necessary to reinstate the Christ in Christmas. Otherwise the holiday would just be called “Mas,” which, if you scribbled a tiny accent over the ‘a’, would become the Spanish word “más,” meaning “more.” Therefore, instead of a holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, this nation has been greedily celebrating the status of the number one consuming country in the world. Congratulations.

Many point to the fact that a large population of this nation is not Christian and therefore only celebrate the holiday to partake in the lavish baked goods, elaborate decorations and expensive gift giving. Besides the fact that the money could be better spent on less frivolous things or for philanthropic causes, there are numerous holidays available for the Gentiles around the country.

Kwanzaa, Hannukah and New Year’s Day are well known, but there are holidays for almost every major religion and ethnicity. Numerous New Year celebrations take place during the winter season, including those of the Koreans, Chinese, Muslims, Mongolians, as well other celebration such as Eid al-Adha

groups of people have had a tendency to create festivals and celebrations in order to bring

light to the darker months of the year. So why should this conglomeration of traditions be claimed by one group or another?

If a person decides to follow Christianity but they come from a Jewish, Hindu, or secular family, should they be expected to forgo their family traditions and celebrate Christmas? Of course not. Their character and personality are tied

into their family background. Conversely, many secular individuals come from Christian backgrounds. If a member of a new generation decides to follow a path other than Christianity are they automatically excluded from the celebration? Anywhere you draw the line is arbitrary and fails to stand up to reason. Each person has the right to celebrate how and why they choose because Christmas is not an exclusive club from which one is included or shunned.

How could one argue against the secularization of Christmas? How could something that brings people so close together be construed negatively? Christmas is one of the few testaments we have of humanity overlooking differences and focusing on the common ground.

(a gift-giving Islamic celebration, usually in November), Malanka (A Ukrainian folk holiday in early January), Korochun (a pagan Slavic holiday on December 21) andZagmuk (an old Mesopotamian festival involving a twelve-day battle between a Babylonian god and the forces of chaos, represented with deadly mock battles and sex). These are a few of the manyholidays, but if none of these fi t the bill, then there is even one for atheist/agnostic people with no ethnic background: Festivus, which involves an aluminum pole instead of a Christmas tree and a ceremony titled “Airing ofGrievances.”

I, a person, in order to form a more perfect Christmas, think that Christmas should not be simply a random assortment of secular rituals and months of intense advertising, combined with the never-ending stream of cheesy Christmas blockbusters. Instead, Christmas should be about the traditional celebration of the birth of Jesus, while all the heathens choose to participate in their own pagan or secular ceremonies if they desire. Four score and seven years ago our fathers set forth Christmas as a time of family and religion, and those values should still be the priority for the practicing population of Christian citizens, and not to be made a mockery of by everybody else.

Sir Gutwein’s First Treatise on the Defense of the Holiness of

Christmas

Point/Counterpoint: Secularizing Christmas

BY VICTOR GUTWEINgutweinv.scarlette@gmail.com

Share the Love: Christmas for All

BY MARGARET DUVALLmargaret.scarlette@gmail.com

CLEANING UP CHRISTMAS: Christmas is becoming more secularizedGraphic by Lindsay Grimley

A&E DECEMBER 11TH, 2009PAGE 6 A&EDECEMBER 11TH, 2009 PAGE 7

1. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix2. Man on the Moon: The End of Day - Kid Cudi 3. Incredibad - The Lonely Island4. Veckatimest - Grizzly Bear5. Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King - Dave Matthews Band6. Manners - Passion Pit 7. The E.N.D. - Black Eyed Peas8. The Hazards of Love – The Decemberists9. Rated R – Rihanna10. Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective11. Davy - Coconut Records12. 21st Century Breakdown –Green Day13. R.O.O.T.S. - Flo Rida14. Humbug – Arctic Monkeys15. The Fame Monster - Lady Gaga16. Outer South - Conor Oberst andthe Mystic Valley Band17. Rebirth - Lil Wayne18. Embryonic - The Flaming Lips19. The Fall - Norah Jones20. Relapse - Eminem

1. Star Trek2. Drag Me to Hell3. Inglorious Basterds4. An Education5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Top 20

Albums

1. Plaid2. Neon colored skinny jeans3. Scarves4. Trapper hats5. Flashy Nikes

1. “You lie!” – Joe Wilson2. “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, and I’mma let you fi nish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!” – Kanye West3. “It’s important to realize that I was actually black before the election.” – Barack Obama4. “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclu-sion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” - Sonya Soto-mayor5. “On what planet do you spend most of your time? …Trying to have a conversation with you would be like trying to argue with a dining room table - I have no interest in doing it.” - Barney Frank

1. Obama’s inauguration2. Academy Awards3. American Idol fi nale4. President Obama on Leno5. ER series fi nale

1. West Side vs. Evansville Memorial 24-102. Colts vs. Patriots 35-343. Y.E. Yang defeats Tiger Woods in PGA Championship4. NBA Playoffs: Cleveland vs. Orlando series5. Usain Bolt sets world records in August

1. Glee2. Community3. Dollhouse4. Melrose Place5. Parks and Recreation

1. Facebook2. Hulu3. FML4. Omegle5. My Life is Average

Top 5

Websites for

Procrastination

1. We Were Once a Fairytale – Kanye West2. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga3. I’m On a Boat – The Lonely Island 4. Life in Technicolor II - Coldplay5. Liztomania – Phoenix

Top 5

Music

Videos

Top 5

Video

Games

Top 5

Guilty

Pleasure

Songs1. If U Seek Amy – Britney Spears2. Right Round – Flo Rida3. Don’t Trust Me – 3OH!34. Single Ladies – Beyonce5. I Love College – Asher Roth

2009

Top 10

Movies

Top 5

Popular

Technology1. iPod nano2. Windows 73. Blackberry Storm4. iPhone apps5. Nintendo DSi

Top 5

Televised

Events

6. The Hurt Locker7. District 98. The Informant!9. 500 Days of Summer10. I Love You, Man

Top 5

Sporting

Events

ofBY SHALU MITTAL

shalu.scarlette@gmail.com

Top 5

Clothing

Trends

Top 5

New TV

Shows

Top 5

Quotes

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 22. The Beatles: Rockband3. Halo 3: ODST4. Resident Evil 55. Left 4 Dead 2Best

A&E DECEMBER 11TH, 2009PAGE 8

Hark! A Vagrant: Because History is Serious Business

“Never learn anything from history,” declares author Kate Beaton’s new book archiving her infamous nerd humor comics known on the internet as Hark! A Vagrant. Beaton’s comics focus primarily on historical fi gures and events with a dash of comedy. Whether you know your history or not, almost anyone will fi nd Beaton’s comics hysterical.

Her style of art contributes to the humor factor; the comical expressions of the characters alone are enough to

warrant a chuckle. Although Beaton’s main

focus is history, some comics are autobiographical and others just plain nonsensical. For instance, a series of comics feature a fat Shetland pony. It usually plays out something like this: someone asks the Shetland pony to do something about a problem they have, the Shetland pony just eats and looks around dumbly, and somehow everything works out in the end.

Hark! A Vagrant is one of the top webcomics out there, but don’t just take my word for it, check it out at www.harkavagrant.com.

BY LINDSAY GRIMLEYgrimleyl.scarlette@gmail.com

Dropping with the leaves this fall has been a plethora of new releases from some of this century’s most acclaimed authors. Here are a few of the best - and worst- of what they had to offer.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon

BY MARISSA KOORSkoorsm.scarlette@gmail.com

Great Reads for Winter Vacation

Fans of Brown’s The DaVinci Code ea-gerly awaited the further adventures of Robert Langdon this September in his newest book The Lost Symbol, which tells the story of Langdon’s foray into domestic controversy in the form of the Freemasons. While maintaining the same thrill-ride twists and turns of his prior two novels, it appears that Brown’s plot structure has become very formulaic; if one compares the Langdon novels, they will fi nd new characters that are fulfi lling very familiar roles. On the whole, The Lost Symbol is simply a watered-down retread of Brown’s earlier novels.

Ford County by John Grisham

A continuation of her previous novel Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood ex-plores the same post-apocalyptic envi-ronment from a different perspective. A well-constructed and deeply complex narrative, it is fi lled with examples of Atwood’s creative ingenuity; for ex-ample, the “liobam,” a lion-sheep that is both cuddly and fatal. Yet, the verita-ble fl ood of back-story, the over-use of deus-ex-machina, and a stubborn un-willingness to deviate too far from Oryx and Crake give the novel a tired feel.

Contrary to his typical biting prose and introspective plot construction, Manhood for Amateurs explores the softer, more humorous side of Chabon through a collection of essays on family life and parenthood. While the book is constructed in an appealing way, fansof his Pulitzer-winning Kavalier and Clay may fi nd the lukewarm language and self-aggrandizement to be quite amateur.

The Backlash Against Backlashes Begins

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Twilight was a success. Second, there was part of it—and I didn’t know how potent that part might be—for which millions of adolescent girls thirsted. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in loathing with it.

Everyone’s favorite conservative-Christian sparkly abstinence vampires aren’t the only victims of such ire. Virtually every hugely profi table franchise—Twilight, the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus etc—adulated by preteens (and some old enough to know better) has fallen prey to dedicated detestation.

The impulse to backlash lies dormant in human nature, just waiting for a target to come along. Passionate hatred, any other intense mental state, excites, simplifi es, and distracts from the monotony of life. And when that hatred is directed at something popular, one gets the satisfaction of being an edgy rebel without the inconvenience of actual risk.

In reality, obsessive hatred of something stupid is just as lame as obsessive love. I must confess that I too, dear reader, participated in the Twilight backlash. Like a sick, masochistic lion, I forced myself to read the entire book (okay, I skimmed some of it), then unleashed my signature mordant, acerbic wit in the pages of this very publication (come on, it was so acerbic!) But that was a year ago, and it’s time for everyone, including me, to move on.

And so I decree: let the anti-backlash backlash commence. If you overhear people eagerly insulting a movie, book, or band, roll your eyes, sigh with weary superiority, and tell them, “You’re into hating that? Seriously?” See New Moonand sit next to the people clearly there just to giggle and mock. With your friends, provide running commentary on their conversation, pointing out all the logical fl aws, heavy-handed messages, and stupid dialogue.

Or, you know, we could all just go on with our lives.

BY ANNE MCDOUGALLmcdougalla.scarlette@gmail.com

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

Ford County is Grisham’s fi rst collection of short stories, a rare deviation from his typical legal thrillers that somehow continues to capture the same indefi -nite, riveting quality that has always kept his readers turning pages. Devoid of any lofty language or literary acrobat-ics, the seven stories set at the heart of

the Mississippi Delta are undeniably realistic. However, Grisham appears tohave forgone a copy-editor; the collec-tion is riddled with repetitious wordsand unnecessary adverbs that distract from deeper purpose behind each story.

Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow

Doctorow’s most recent contribution to the literary pantheon, Homer and Langely endeavors to take the real-lifedrama of the lives of Homer and Lang-ley Collyer, two rich recluse hoarders living in New York City during the late 19th century. Wrought with Doc-torow’s signature abstract intellectu-alism, the novel explores the frailty of human yearning and the inherent need to fi nd one’s niche in the world. While some may criticize the “Doctorowing” of the historical facts presented in the novel, the richly spun prose and risky use of unconventional plot devices merit a spot on any literary buff’s read-ing list.

FEATURESDECEMBER 11TH, 2009 PAGE 9

Almost every year you can fi nd one: yes, there’s always somebody who feels the need to defy standard graduation procedures. “It’s a rare occasion,” remarks counselor Nathan Thomas, “Not as often as you might think.”

However, this year, seniors Lisa Catlin, Margaret Duvall, and Tiana Wilkerson all decided to graduate early.

Why would a student decide to graduate one semester early? “There are a variety of reasons. Some just want to be done or have another experience. Others want to work a job for college,” says counselor Joyce Grimble In West Lafayette’s case, this is certainly true: no two early graduates have the same plan.

Lisa Catlin is planning on spending her second semester in Germany. “It’s going to be awesome,” she says. Thanks to a study abroad program, Catlin will stay with a German host family, the Pfeiffers, and their daughter. She will attend a German high school and live like a native German student. (She already dreads taking chemistry… entirely in German!) Her college plans? Not surprisingly, she wants to study German or possibly go into international studies.

Tiana Wilkerson’s semester out of school will be completely different. She’s happy to get high school over with: “I feel like I deserve it! If you have the chance, why not take it?” She has “no really big plans” for the spring, but hopes to use that time to

start earning money. Wilkerson intends to apply to college for the fall and go into animal sciences.

The third early-grad, Margaret Duvall, has her own unique idea. She will spend six weeks in Guatamala: the fi rst three at a language school perfecting her Spanish, and the last three volunteering. Duvall thinks she could help build houses, teach children English, or do anything else that is needed. “The sense of companionship” and “the whole Scarlette” (Margaret is one of the Scarlette’s editors-in-chief) are what she believes she will miss the most about high school.

Due to her avid interest in theater arts, Duvall also anticipates directing a play at the Civic Theater when she returns. She and fellow senior Shalu Mittal hope to write a play of their own.

So what does it take to graduate early? First of all, forget study halls: you’ll need all the credits you can get. “They have to plan ahead,” advises Grimble. She says that most students decide during their junior year—preferably at the beginning. If you plan on graduating early, you’ll have to cram in the required courses as soon as possible.

Certainly not everyone can be gutsy enough to graduate early. It means sacrifi cing those electiveclasses you’ve always wanted to take and working harder than the normal student. It can even involve“making concessions on diploma type,” as Mrs.Grimble mentions. Instead of getting the honorsdiploma, early grads may have to settle for just theCore 40.

Catlin made this sacrifi ce when she chose to travelto Germany. Lisa laments the fact that she didn’ttake Statistics her junior year: she fi nds it “kind ofannoying” (surely an understatement) that she only managed to take seven of the eight math courses needed for an honors diploma. But as MargaretDuvall exclaimed, “Why wouldn’t I graduate early?”After all, what is a fancier diploma when comparedto half a year spent in Germany?

What’s the Deal with Early Graduation?

The moon is timeless. It has made countless appearances in folklore and mythology from around the globe and has been featured in everything from children’s stories like Goodnight Moon to classical masterpieces like Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Its name has given us words like “lunacy” and “lunatic”, stemming from the belief that if someone slept under a full moon, he or she would go mad.

The familiar celestial body has always been somewhat of a mystery to humankind. In ancient times, it was believed to have powers of fertility, as well as infl uence on crop growth. In later years, humans fi gured out that the moon’s gravitational pull controlled the tides on Earth, but up until forty years ago, humans all had the same fascination with the seemingly unreachable goal: to travel to the moon’s surface.

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s goal of sending astronauts to the moon within the decade. After eight years of hard work, NASA scientists fi nally reached their goal. On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 commander, and Purdue University graduate Neil

BY ANDREW BURCHILLburchilla.scarlette@gmail.com

The Moon is Stellar Armstrong became the fi rst human to ever set foot on the surface of the moon by making “one small step” out of the lunar module and delivered those famous words.

Now, forty years later, our knowledge of the moon has greatly expanded. Following the Apollo 11 mission, fi ve more expeditions were made on the surface of the Moon, and astronauts gathered information aplenty about our natural satellite; studying its soil, meteoroids, seismic activity, heat fl ow, magnetic fi elds, solar wind, and other phenomena.

However, scientists continue to fi nd out more and more fascinating and mystical attributes about the moon. On November 13, 2009, NASA announced that it had found signifi cant amounts of water on the moon; “about a dozen, two-gallon bucketfuls,” said project scientist Anthony Colaprete. Though this is an exciting discovery, it isn’t as though scientists found a hidden ocean on the moon; it’s still drier than any desert of Earth.

The moon is also making a special appearance to close this year on December 31, 2009 with a partial lunar eclipse, the last of four lunar eclipses this year.

BY ANJONA GHOSHghosha.scarlette@gmail.com

OUT OF THIS WORLD: What secrets does our sole lunar satellite hold? Graphic by Mi Yun

FIVE DAYS: Lisa Catlin, Tiana Wilkerson, and Margaret Duvall, the Class of 2009 early graduates, look forward to their fi nal week of high school, but are glad to be almost done. Photos by Gayatri Narayanan

FEATURES DECEMBER 11TH, 2009PAGE 10

Ingredients * 3 cups all-purpose fl our * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon * 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger * 1/2 teaspoon each of ground allspice, ground cloves, and salt * 1/4 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper * 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature * 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature * 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar * 2/3 cup unsulfured molasses * 1 large egg * Royal Icing (recipe follows)

DirectionsPreheat to 350 degrees F. Sift the fl our, baking soda, cin-namon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and vegetable shorten-ing until well-combined. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and color. Beat inthe molasses and egg. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the fl our mixture to make a stiff dough. Dividethe dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours.

To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just warm enough to roll out without cracking. Place the dough on a lightly fl oured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with fl our. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut out the cookies and transfer to nonstick cookie sheets, placing the cookies 1 inch apart. Bake, until the edges of the cookies are set and crisp,10 to 12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire cake racks to cool completely. Decorate with Royal Icing.

A Recipe for a Little Bit of Holiday Bliss:

Gingerbread Cookies Tsk, tsk. Christmas is right around the corner and you haven’t bought a single present-what else is new? But you, along with the majority of the population, are fortunate. Today’s market makes late Christmas shopping a breeze. Here are some idea to help make your presents extra-special…and easy!

For Her: Steal: Go and buy a disposable camera and photo album. Write in a card or letter that the present is to be used for her to take pictures of everything to do with you two. Then she can place in it the album and remember the good times forever. Cheap (in monetary value), sentimental, and above all, quick. Splurge: Buy tickets to her favorite play or concert. There’s probably not a girl out there who wouldn’t love this. Make sure not to choose one that you wouldn’t want to spend three or more hours attending though, you wouldn’t want your boredom to ruin the evening.

For Him:Steal: Bake a meal made with love! Food is the way to

If you were careless and threw the tests away, ask a friend or an upperclassman; some of us keep folders of every paper we have ever received.

3.Organize a study group (tip from junior Kate Jones) Friends can make even studying fun. Order a pizza, grab you notes and books, and ask each other questions and explanations of important topics covered through-out the semester. If you cannot meet physically, online chat groups can be a great meeting place.

4.Go through notes and study guide: Some teachers are kind enough to create a study guide for the exam. This is basically your overview of the fi nal. Make sure you know something about every-thing on that list. If you do not have one, read through class notes, make notecards for vocabulary, and never forget the friendly Sparknotes, which has several study materials for various subjects.

5.Prepare emotionally, physically, and socially: You gotta remember that health triangle. Physically, do try to get some sleep and a good breakfast. Emo-tionally, prepare for time constraints. As Mrs. Gates reminds her calculus students, you only have around 15 minutes per free-response problem when you normally have a whole week. And socially, do not lock yourself in a room like a hermit to study for ten hours straight. These are fi nal exams, not the fi nal days of your life. Still try to relax, and have a good time with friends dur-ing non-exam periods.

Study Tips for Finals

For those of you who live in a fantasy world, I am sor-ry to be the one to inform you that fi nals are NEXT WEEK. This is the week where most students stay up later than normal, cramming as much information as they can into their heads just to spill it all out the next day on a two period exam test. The results of these sometimes 100+ multiple choice question tests can change your GPA forever. So, freshmen and other inexperienced students, here are some tips on how to prepare your brain for the week of fi nals.

1.Be judicious with prioritization: Set aside the amount of time to study based on your schedule of exams and their relative diffi culty. If you know your fi rst and second nine-week grade, you can calculate approximately what percentage you need to receive on the exam to get the desired grade. Yes, some teachers disapprove of this, but seriously, we students do not have time to study and know EVERYTHING.

2.Review old test and quizzes (tip from math teach-er Mrs. Gates) If your teacher lets you keep tests and quizzes, make sure you save them and go back to them. The informa-tion covered on tests was important enough to be on a test; therefore it is very likely to be on the fi nal also. Most teachers reuse the type of questions, so you can be confi dent that you will not see any total surprise.

any boy’s heart. Try not to buy store-bought roasted chicken and Pillsbury biscuits, but if you do, don’t expect much appreciation. Homemade meals tell him that you care enough to put in the time. Splurge: Boys collect things, such as sports memorabilia, signed CDs, etc. Find an item that means something to him and hunt it down for the perfect gift.

For Parents: They raised you, don’t be cheap. Mom: Bath and Body Works always has dozens of pre-packaged gift sets; there’s no doubt you could fi nd the perfect one for your mom.Dad: If movies are his thing, consider making a movie-lover gift package. This would include a theater gift card, his favorite snacks, and maybe even an IOU to catch a fl ick with him sometime.

For Kids: Thankfully, children aren’t expensive. For younger kids, the ultimate gift (that takes no time preparation whatsoever) is to take him or her to a toy store and let him or her pick out any gift he or she desires. Be sure to impose a price limit, you don’t want to be stuck trying to break it to little Susie that she can’t have that $200 Barbie Dream House once she’s picked it out.

BY ZARINA MADANmadanz.scarlette@gmail.com

BY ANGEL GRUZEgruzea.scarlette@gmail.com

Fie! It’s Christmas Time! Where Are Your Presents?

BY SHRAVANI MERUGUREDDYmerugureddys.scarlette@gmail.com

SPORTSDECEMBER 11TH, 2009 PAGE 11

West Side’s wrestling team be-gan their season last weekend at the Fountain Central Invitational, and despite the low number of bodies the team has to boast, fi fth-year coach Rick Roseman remains confi dent in his men’s abilities.

“We’re steady at fi fteen wrestlers,” Roseman comments. “Wrestling is not for every single person, and the fi fteen we have are very dedicated. We’re going to war with fi fteen and I like our chances.”

The Red Devils return ten letter winners from the previous season. The team is led by seniors Taylor Smith and Bobby Schweikher, in ad-dition to junior Eric Palmieri, who forwent playing football this season to focus on wrestling. Other key members of the team include juniors Cody and Josh White, Kyle Patton, and Sheheryar Ahsan, sophomores Nathan Scott, Chase Lewark, and Thomas Deranek, as well as freshmen newcomers Theo Johnson and Chris-tian Clayton.

Due to the football team’s success, the wrestlers were down to seven for the fi rst couple weeks. “It was tough because we started three weeks late because of football,” says junior Ah-san, “but we’re gonna win when we can.”

“We have a few juniors and seniors

who we hope can make it to regional and semi-state,” adds Roseman.

The interviewed wrestlers unani-mously agreed that the biggest meet of the season will be December 19’sWest Lafayette Invitational, oneof the Red Devils’ only three homeevents of the season.

Senior Smith explains, “The hometourney will be tough; we’re fac-ing three [Class] 3A teams and three[Class] 5As. There’s some reallytough competition there from decent-sized schools.”

Coach Roseman elaborates: “We’retaking on Harrison, McCutcheon, Benton Central, and other tough areateams. It’s gonna be a real challenge.”

The Coach has great confi dence inthis band of a few good men, and theteam returns the feeling towards theirfearless leader.

“Coach works us harder than any-one else around here,” says juniorPalmieri. “We’re in great physical condition because of him.”

“He’s a really hardnosed wrestling guy,” adds Smith. “He’s been wres-tling since age fi ve or six and knows the sport inside and out. He knows what it takes to win and understandswhat kind of physical shape is need-ed.”

The Red Devil wrestlers anticipatea season full of success and improve-ment. Junior Josh White sums it allup: “We’re gonna be awesome and it’sgonna be really fun!”

It was in elementary school when junior David Zoltowski, also known as Davy Z, began swimming. “It looked like fun,” he says. He fi rst started when he his sister and fellow teammate, junior Alisa Zoltowski, joined the team. Now after nine years, he has become a very well-rounded swimmer. This season, he is focusing on the 200 individual medley (IM) and the 500 freestyle, which are his favorite.

When asked about his strong points, junior Liz Majewski, co-captain of the girls’ swimming team, remarks, “He’s good at everything. He works the best he can at every practice and takes no shortcuts.” Alisa also agrees. “He’s the most motivated and he keeps going. He sets a good example,” she says. Senior Julian Jimenez-Corredor says of David, “He’s very confi dent and determined. He’s also really cool and has good rap songs.” Though he is already praised in many ways, David is nonetheless determined to improve himself further and looks forward to working hard and trying to win.

With the start of a new swim season, David is excited to hang out

with the other swimmers, namely senior Victor Gutwein, and the European Union (not the actual one, but a group created within the swim team). Outside of school, David likes to watch sports and hang out with friends.

For inspiration on his quest for success, David notes two of his role models as Victor and West Lafayette High School alumnus, Raymond Mahon, who was a former member of the swim team. Swimming coach Mr. Wachs, though, says David is a role model himself. “He’s like a role model for the times he performs,” he says, “and he has a great work ethic.” This season, Mr. Wachs predicts that David will be able to advance himself and swim as many events as possible. He also believes that David will proceed to state and top fi nals.

As for the future, David still has a year of high school to go. He also says he might swim in college. Even if he doesn’t, though, he still plans on keeping swimming as a hobby.

Excelling in dedication, confi dence, and determination, David has many necessary qualities of a successful athlete. Though he is also described as calm and quiet leader, Liz says, “His presence is always known.”

David Zoltowski: A Swimming SensationBY MARIE ZHANGzhangm.scarlette@gmail.com

BY WILL DEBOERdeboerw.scarlette@gmail.com

WL Wrestlers Hit the Floor with a Few Good Men

TAKE ‘EM DOWN: Two wrestlers go at it during practi ce. Photo by Connie Yang

ON YOUR MARKS: David Zoltowski prepares himself for a race. Photo by Anna Chen

“The highlight of my day is when Caroline talks to me in Psychology.” –Victor Gutwein

“Who’s Victor Gutwein?” –Caroline Gass

“The highlight of my dayis when Caroline talks tome in Psychology.” –Victor Gutwein

“Who’s Victor Gutwein?”–Caroline Gass

Seriously Speaking: What put you on the naughty or nice list this year?Seriously Speaking:Seriously Speaking: What put you on the naughty or nice list this year?

STUDENT LIFE DECEMBER 11TH, 2009PAGE 12Featured Senior: Caroline Gass is the Kookiest Pookie

“So,” I ask, “how would you describe Caroline?”

“Um… crazy.”“Crazy.”“Defi nitely quirky.”It seemed there was somewhat of a

pattern emerging. At the end of all my interviews, my fi nal unoffi cial tally was four “crazys,” three “ecstatics,” three “quirkys,” and a “hyper” or two.

As one of the more quirky students at West Side, it’s no surprise that Pookie—er, Caroline Gass—is this

issue’s featured senior. “Pookie” is her nickname; she picked it up playing soccer with the Tippco Tiger Cats, and when she transferred to West Side in eighth grade, the nickname stuck, thanks to her teammates.

Her range of interests varies wildly, including everything from speaking German to knitting to pastry baking. She says her knitting is more of “just something [she does],” rather than a hobby, but she does love to speak German. In fact, along with calculus and art history, German is her favorite class.

According to her friends, she gets her eccentricities from her mother, who is just as whimsical as she is. Both Caroline and her mother use so many colorful abbreviations and sayings, that when they are talking to each other senior Samantha Akridge says, “It’s like they’re speaking a different language.” Caroline also sometimes does yoga at Sunshine Yoga, where her mom is an instructor.

Her capricious behavior is famous around the school—legends abound about her racing wind-up toy nuns

and the bubble-gum fl avored cream soda that is allegedly hidden in her refrigerator. In her ninth grade English Honors course, she wrote a poem about poodles turning into roadkill and pulled it off without sounding creepy orpsychopathic. While that all sounds fun, the most exciting thing she says she has ever done is visit Machu Pichu in the Andes mountain range wtih Mr. Fultz during her sophomore year.

Caroline’s deliriously enthusiastic personality is catchy. Maybe it’s her silver and leopard-print shoes, but people are just generally happier around her. She often randomly bursts out in creepy voices, like the one from weird kid in The Shining, (“Red rum! Red

rum!”) and her unique style of humor“can bring a smile to anyone’s face,” says senior Sean McCabe.

While she can occasionally beseen doing what senior Angela Curry describes as “random dances” in the hallway, her ambition and energy markher as more than just another MichaelJackson impersonator. She not onlysucceeds at being quirky, she excels at it. She doesn’t just take German, she’s thepresident of German Club, and insteadof merely playing soccer, she kicks butt on the varsity team. And when it comesto baking, well, I think the eloquentdiction of master-taster and food critic, senior Nitesh Bajaj, says it best. “Shemakes really good pastries.”

BY ZACH BURCHILLburchillz.scarlette@gmail.com

WUNDERKIND: Caroline takes pause from her eccentric hobbies to complete her German homework. Photo by Shriya Manian

NOT JUST FOR GRANNIES: Caroline Gass knits intensely. Photo by Shriya Manian

“Mistletoe.”

-Rowen Thompson

“Depends whether or not my stu-dents did their homework today.”

-Mr. Ho

“It is more a matter of moral intentions than discrete, concrete

actions.”

-Marcos Cisneros

“I’d be naughty and highjack Santa’s sleigh, kidnap an elf and

sell him for durros.”

-Erika Kischuk

“Barracudas... seeking missles... foxes.”

-Alex Perez