DECEMBER 2012 www.lahserknightlife.com Issue 3

knight lifeThe “New” Fast Food

Holiday

Gift Guide

Holiday Edition

END OF THE WORLD?

pgs. 4&5

pgs. 12&13

pg. 1

1

In this issue...

Knight Life Staff.Editors in Chief

Editors

Staff Writers

Advisor Mrs. Terri Thav

Emily Steig Sarah ThomasChase SmithMadeline RohrJordan Ricarte

Daniel BordenerColby Gilette Ross Hall Martez Jones

Chris GarciaCaroline Cooke Brendan EathorneRegina DiMaggio

Jacqueline ShandlerRyan Moonka Annie ReedJulia LeeAustin Burchill

Matthew Webster Reilly ManzJazmynn Croskey

Michael GawlikCourtney EathorneErin Antonishen

Junior Editors

fast food fight see how your favorite fast food restaurants stack up!

holiday gift guide what to buy for everyone on

your list!

‘tis the season to tune inreviews of classic holiday movies,

tv shows and music

is this the end?will December 21st, 2012 prove the Mayan calendar correct?

what’s the deal with the iCloud?

and the winner is...your complete guide to the 2012 Lahscars

knights give backhow you and your friends are

changing the world this holiday season.

january calendarsee what 2013 has in store!16.

14.

5.

15.

6.11.

12&13.

4.

The original intent of this holiday edition of Knight Life was one of light cheer. Its entirety was to be received with minimal bearing. However, terribly unfortunately, I pen with a heavier purpose. The heart of America was violently broken Friday morning when tragedy visited Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. There are no words to place upon what happened that morning, and this must not be seen as an attempt to do so. But inhumanity of this caliber cannot be ignored. When word of the horror in Connecticut reached my corner of the world on Friday afternoon I was physically compromised. I got sick to stomach. My entire body shook with cries of an emotion I could not identify. Why was this happening? What had come over me? Here I stood, a thousand miles from Newtown, completely taken down by the propensity of its tragedy. I was taken aback by how strongly I felt the pain of strangers, even though I had heard this sort of news before. I was in first grade when terror attacked America in September of 2001. I remember my teacher, my hero, carrying out a normal day of reading, writing and first grade fun, and little else of the tragedy. First grade has no space for tragedy; yet here we are, a decade later, and all bets of allowed evil are off. What happened Friday is not solely Newtown’s tragedy. That senseless morning belongs to all of America, and most importantly to 21st century youth. This was a perpetrator of our generation acting unto others of our own. Although we more easily identify with the young victims of this tragedy, we are closer in age to its villian. What terrifies me the most is the small amount of time lapsed between this killer’s own first grade days and his path of destruction. Was he not born an angel just like each of the ones he took from us? Why did his blood turn so cold? And how can we prevent this from happening again? Although our generation has seen a great deal of tragedy in our very few years, with 9/11 and more recent tragedies in Tuscon, Arizona and Aurora, Colorado, school violence is different; it can never be considered a wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time situation. Attending school each day is not a highly questioned action. We cannot grow numb to violence simply because we believe we were raised by it. In doing so, we are hurting each other and we’re hurting ourselves. This issue of Knight Life is meant to encompass what being in high school in 2012 should be about: you. We want to celebrate how important and special you are. These senseless acts of our generation do not define us and with your help, they will be erased from our generation’s legacy. The best way to do so is to focus on all the wonderful things you are. Our paper hopes to give you a voice and recognize your achievements. We hope to provide an escape, if only temporary, from the sometimes very cruel world in which we live. We hope to shed light on your fears and show you the only thing you have to fear is fear itself. Most importantly, we remind you that you are not alone. Even if you don’t believe it, we, as a school community, desperately need you. We need your smile. We need your opinion. We need the unique talents and interests that you bring to our Lahser family. Family. That’s what we truly are as Knights. Through thick and thin we will always share a common home. And if you look close enough, you will always, always, always find someone who is on your side. This holiday season you are loved. You are an important part of the Lahser High School community and we are glad to call you one of our own. Forgive others, forgive yourself. We are only human; we are still just kids. Take nothing for granted; and remember that the time you are given on earth is not a right, but it is the most precious gift you will ever receive.

You are loved.Following the tragedy in Newton, Connecticut, Knights are reminded that there is nothing more important than love for each other and love for ourselves.

Courtney EathorneEditor in Chief

This edition of Knight Life is dedicated to the teachers of Bloomfield Hills and the rest of the nation. For our childhoods, we thank you.

your complete guide to the 2012 Lahscars

Our hearts are forever with the angels of Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Photo: The Chicago Tribune

Twenty balloons tied to a Newtown, Connecticut mailbox in memory of the schoolchildren slain on December 14th, 2012.

The Art of Gift Giving Malls are packed full of holiday shoppers, stores put out elaborate displays showcasing this year’s best-selling products; it’s the most wonderful time of the year. For most, the holiday season serves as a joyous time during the year’s end; but for some, the stress of finding the “perfect” gift for friends and loved ones is a serious cause for concern. What exactly makes the act of giving somebody a present so stress-ful? Is it the fear of the gift being rejected? Or is it the competition for the most favorite gift amongst fellow gift givers? It seems that the only sure fire way to be satisfied with your gift giv-ing crusade is to find a gift that means as much to the gifter as it would to the “giftee”, if you will. But so many factors go into the thought behind a gift. If it’s for your mother, keep in mind that this middle-aged woman might not particu-larly enjoy a new string bikini. And for your father, despite his greatest efforts to be good at your latest video game, he may not consider the latest Super Mario game a novel gift. Just because an item looks good on display, what happens after the gift-wrap is taken off is far more important than how expensive the lat-est technology was at Target. Usage is key. A gift may shock and awe for the meantime, but what the giftee does with it after Christmas day might deserve more consideration than most of us give credit. And for all of you holiday stressor’s, relax. I’ve got you covered. Here’s simple guide to gift giving for the 2012 holiday season!

The Far-Off FriendFor a long dis-tance friendship, send a dozen Georgetown cupcakes to show your love!

The Significant OtherBuy your favorite guy or gal the gift of memories that will last a lifetime! Buy them tickets to a concert or musical, and treat yourself to special date!

Pamper your pup!Don’t forget about

your furry friend this holiday season!

Treat them to a couple Pawpsicles!

The Hardmorking MamaTake back any of the stress you may have put on your mother this year with a scalp massager, aromatherapy candles or her favorite scented bath products

Replacement SiblingLeaving a little brother or sister at home when go away to college? Gift them a replace-ment sibling! Goldfish are fun and affordable, and now at Crate & Barrel, you can buy stackable fish hotel suites for only $25!

The Proud GrandparentSeniors: have you decided on plans for next year? Give your beloved grand-parent spiritwear from the university of your choice!

The Indecisive ChickHave a girl in your life whose heart belongs to someone new every week? Buy her this chalkboard necklace to keep her jewelry current!

Give Dad a lunar landing!For only about $30, you can lay claim tou your own piece of property on our very own moon!

Michael Bublé

by Reilly Manz

Knight Life counts down our favorite holiday movies and music!

4.

3.

5. 5.

4.

3.2.2.

1.1.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You”

“The Christmas Song”

“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

“Feliz Navidad”

“White Christmas”Bing Crosby

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

It’s A Wonderful Life

Elf

Home Alone

Jose Feliciano

Nat King Cole

Michael Bublé

Andy Williams

Holiday

MusicMoviesCount down

by Reilly Manz

By Austin Burchill

Lahscars 2012AND the winner isBest Knight Griffin DiMaggio Jubille JacksonBest Baron Marc Mcmanus Sydney RichAttached at the Hip Ryan/Andrew/Reilly Maddie/KatleenFaux Senior Charlie Dauch Kali SmithMost Likely to Go Pro Yante Maten Suzanne MillerMost Likely to Make a Million Rohan Sinha Margaret

MetzgerMost Likely to Get Married Zach Tornow & Claire OillaMost Likely to be in Vogue Derek Segers Jordan SegasserBiggest Mooch Lorenzo Lorenzetti Megan BuddenMost Likely to be on SNL Eddie Okuniewski Courtney E.Most Likely to Star in Axe Commercial Reilly Manz Katelyn A.Best Flow Michael Reitmeyer Lucy RamonatMost likely to be Late for Class Sam Murray Monica MilbergMost Likely to Win a Grammy Luke Ross Maddie PadillaMost Likely to Pull the Science Shower

Clark Robinson Amika Nandi

GIRLSBOYS

Erin AntonishenEditor in Chief

For centuries, Islamic women have been fight-ing battles of discrimation against their indi-vidual choices in free expression. The hijab, considered by some as a symbol of oppression for the social chastisement it attracts, is meant to serve as a symbol of modesty and respect for oneself. Junior Heba A-saghir explains the beauty of the Islamic veil that is often out-shadowed by society’s ignorance, “Wearing the hijab shows modesty. It allows people to appreciate you for your personality instead of solely for your appearance.” What some may

not understand is the fact that wearing the hijab is, in fact, a choice. The Islamic interpre-tation of the hi-jab is in no way perceived to be a guide line

for the dress code of women. It is simply a symbol of beauty in its purest form. Though Al-saghir has never felt the weight of discrimination brought to light by the hijab, she acknowledged that family and friends have been personally impacted by it. “I’m lucky because, in this community, we are very diverse,” Al-saghir says. “In some commu-nities, they look at it as a means of discrimi-nation and a way to single certain people out. I, however, have found my community very accepting.” Similar to the varying views on hijabs, many do not realize the various fashion statements these scarves showcase. The hijab leaves room for individuality and self-expression through variation in style, pattern and color. “I use mine as an accesory. It helps me to make a personal expression,” Al-saghir continues. “My hijab makes me me.” Though its true meaning is unfamiliar to those who don’t practice the religion, many Islamic women view it as far more than a right of passage. (Pictured to the right, Al-Saghir demonstrating the bow style hijab).

History of the islamic veilThe Niqab covers the entire body, head & face, but leaves an open-ing for the eyes. Most common in the Gulf States.

The Niq

ab

The Burq

a

The ch

ador

The h

ijab

The Chador is a full body length shawl that is pinned/held at the neck. Of-ten black and worn most commonly in Iran.

The Burqa is a full body veil. Mesh is placed over the eyes to allow vision. Its use was mandated by law in Afghanistan under the Taliban from 1996-2001.

The Hijab covers the hair and neck. It is the most common of Islamic veils.

The hijab rep-resents who you are as a person apart from your

appearance.

hi·jab [hih-jahb, -jab]Junior Heba Al-saghir explains the meaning behind the Islamic veil.

New Y

ear’s

Eve traditions w

orld w

ide In the States, New Year’s

Eve is a time to ring in the new year with celebra-tion and confetti. As the ball drops and the clock strikes twelve Americans make a toast, reminscing over the memories that the past 365 days have encom-passed. Whiles Americans are busy con-cocting hope-ful resolutions for the new coming year, what is the rest of the world up to?

In Chile, taking a stroll around the block with your suitcase is said to bring lots of travel in the up and coming year.

In Spain, you eat 12 grapes, one for each strike of the clock at midnight.

Cubans fill giant vases with water and slosh them out of there windows to wash away the departing year.

In England, people decorate their homes with mistletoe twigs to symbolize the re-vival of life that comes after the Winter Solstice.

In Brazil people wear different colored underwear to symbolize hopes for the new year. Red bring love, yel-low- money, and fresh white underwear- peace.

In Sweden, people are known to break dishes over the door steps of their clos-ets friends to bring “luck”.

On New Year’s Eve, Italians throw old belongings out of their windows to dispose of the problems and troubles of the past year and make room for the joys of the new year.

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town

host a mas-sive party every New Year’s Eve.

Traditional New Zealanders celebrate Matariki, the Maori New Year. This is a celebration of the coming sea-son’s crops that are

determined by the Matariki.

Chinese New Year starts on the first day of the full moon and ends 15 days lat-

er. These 15 days are full of parades and decadent cultural eats.

In the Philip-pines, people wear

polka dots and eat round foods to sym-bolize coins and bring prosperity in the coming year.

Erin AntonishenEditor in Chief

Kids today are always looking for a new mode to fulfill their daily re-quirements for stimulation. Wheth-er its spray painting graffiti or ex-perimenting with illegal substances, kids will go to ridiculous lengths to get the feeling that they are alive. Most teenagers horizon for the fu-ture only lies a day ahead so they dwell in the moment oblivious to the potential consequences that could stumble their way. During the holiday season parents are occupied with gift gathering, family plans and decorations while the kids are trapped inside by the frigid weather that lingers outside their windows. Distracted parents and bored kids never leads to good things which is probably how the trend of obtaining a “nutmeg” high came about. No, you didn’t misread it. A per-son can really get high from eating an excessive amount of nutmeg! Nutmeg is a grounded up nut most associated with eggnog. Due to

its unpleasant flavor, it’s usually only found in homes around the holiday season. This nut contains psychedelic chemicals similar to those found in ecstasy and LSD and is totally legal. Multiple grams of nutmeg are needed in order to feel an effect. A user won’t experience any ef-fects of the nutmeg until nearly 6 long hours after they ingest it which potentially makes it very inconvenient . If enough nutmeg is taken hallucinations, delirium, and change of perspective can rattle a users brain leaving them confused and feeling psychologi-cally different. Smaller doses create a euphoric feeling similar to alcohol and marijuana. So why isn’t this taken as se-riously as other grade 1 drugs? Shouldn’t we be cracking down on major nutmeg dealers? Well the effects of nutmeg are so harsh and miserable that very few people ever try it more than once. Just the taste alone of nut-meg can make one feel sick and

He strolls into class silently, keeping to himself as he sets his backpack on the floor. A pair of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones straddle his head, with a steady bass thump flowing out. Though many people see him cruise the halls in his bulky Beats, few really know what’s beneath them. “I listen to a lot of old-school rap,” says Soph. Ashwin Ganesan. “Guys like NWA and Public Enemy. I like stuff like that.” But travel a bit deeper into the mind of Ganesan, and you will find something incredible: a creative talent for graphic design. The sophomore was one of sixteen award winners in the 2013 North American Auto Show Poster Contest. Lahser’s own Ganesan, as well as sophomore Micha Paulateer won cash prizes for their designs. “It started as just an assignment for my graphic design class,” Ganesan explains. “But I got the idea to incorporate the flags of North American countries and I ran with it.” His poster, featuring the stars and stripes, maple leaf, and golden eagle in the Auto Show logo, won Ganesan the Best Theme Award, along with $250. “The money is pretty cool, not to mention that I will be able to put this on a college application. I was really just surprised to win at all.” Look for Ganesan’s and others’ designs featured at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, January 14-27 at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. When asked what he may do with the contest money, Ganesan flashed a grin and replied.“I don’t know, maybe spend it on some more Beats.”

Knight Life exposes a popular new fad among high-seeking teens with a yule-tide twist!

Chase SmithStaff Writer

You can’t stop the beats by dre

Sophomore Ashwin Ganesan credits award-winning graphic design inspiration to the music in his earsBrendan EathorneStaff Writer

once it gets into your system many people experience unpleas-ant digestive problems. Nutmeg also causes the user to have an ex-tremely dry mouth. If you think it’s still worth one days misery to experience the nutmeg high, you’re wrong. You would also experience feeling light headed and lacking focus for up to a week after ingesting it. Just as one infers that is a bad idea to snort glue fumes, nut-meg should also be seen as a terrible idea. Parents should not be overly paranoid about having nutmeg in their house as long as they are confident that they dis-tilled a minimal amount of com-mon sense into their children. As to kids, there are many other le-gal ways of getting a rush during the winter time. Snow covered mountains provide an excellent playground for snowboarders and skiers. But be sure to wear a hel-met or you could mess up your head as much as you would from eating nutmeg!

GOING NUTS

Soph. Ashwin Ganesan and his beloved Beats

1.Wayne County Lightfest: Features a four-mile route of more than one million and more than 45 animated displays. It is the longest and largest light display in the Midwest. It is $5 per vehicle and is open now through December 31 (Not Christmas day).

2.Holiday Walk at Meadow Brook Hall: Go back in time and enter stories of some of the most fashionable parties in history. Sit back and relax with the roaring fires, twinkling trees, and live organ playing holiday tunes. “Puttin’ on the Glitz” is open daily, now through December 22.

3.The Big Bright Light Show in Downtown Rochester: Every night from 6-12pm the buildings of downtown Rochester are lit up by over 1.5 million lights.

4.Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village: On selected nights in December, the village features carolers and other entertainers, period-clothed cos-tumed presenters, ice-skating, Santa and live reindeer, and carriage and Model T rides.

5.Campus Martius Park: In the center of the park stands the official Detroit Christmas Tree, standing 55 feet tall and lit up by over 18,000 lights. The ice rink next to it is open daily and gives off a wonderful holiday feeling. Every Friday and Saturday throughout December horse and carriage rides are offered to take a ride around the town.

Holiday HotspotsMaddie RohrStaff Writer

Metro Detroit’s greatest attractions for holiday cheer, such as the City of Birmingham Tree Lighting, shown above.

12/21/12

December 19th, 2012. While a planet prone to colorful imagination bends its knees and braces for the landing of the end, is it possible that Blue Ivy Carter, heir to the Beyoncé and Jay-Z throne, is preparing for her world takeover? Blue Ivy spelled backwards, Eulb Yvi, claims the rumored translation of Lucifer’s Daughter. As the highly anticipated end of the world accord-ing to the Mayan calendar draws near, this “devil child” could become the new leader of the New World Order, or the Illuminati, a group of world leaders, entertainers and influential folk that will inherit the Earth come this very Friday. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, the Queen of England, the Pope, John Goss-elin: these are only a few members of the Illuminati that have plans to reduce the world population from 7 billion to approxi-mately 2 billion in just two days. The New World Order has been an established part of society for generations dating back to the Free Masons of the American Revolution, and now their time has come. The day after tomorrow The New World Order will begin a mass genocide at the airport in the city of Denver, Colorado. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the distinctly swastika-shaped runways or the serrated-edge roof, literally

stabbing the peaceful Colorado skies. Inside the airport things get even heebie-jeebi-er. Murals featuring white-supremacist efforts line the walls. One particularly frightening display shows a giant storm-trooper slaying a white dove, a universal sign of peace. Another mural centers on an Aryan boy collecting the weapons of the rest of the world’s children. By far the most off-setting component of the Denver Airport is the underground system of concrete tunnels. There is no practical use for the tunnels and yet they still exist. These tunnels feature a system of overhead sprinklers that have never been filled with water and more importantly, have no irrigation needs. It is believed that these tunnels will become the site of the mass population control of the New World Order. Many big-name mem-bers of the Illuminati, such as the Queen of England, have recently purchased property close to the Denver site. Has the mysterious end of the world according to the Mayans been hiding in plain sight?

*The preceding information is only one opinion of conspiracy and its theorist would prefer not to be told “I told you so,” come December 22nd, 2012.

Courtney EathorneEditor in Chief

Pictured above, a mural from the Denver, CO airport.

THEORIES BEHIND THE END OF THE WORLD

° As the Winter Solstice occurs, our planet will collide with Planet X.

° There will be a dramtic shift in Earth’s magnet-ic poles.

° A supernova will occur that will wipe Earth out of the Milkway Galaxy.

° A massive seismic event will shake civilization to the ground.

Eate

ry

Logo

Cuisine

Quality

Chipotle

Noodles & Co.

Pei Wei

Panera Bread

Mexican

Mediterranean, Asian, and American

Asian

Café/Bakery

“Food with In-

tegrity”; organ-

ic and locally

grown. Gives

fair wages to

farmers.

Made to order;

customers can

ask for a dish

sans topping,

spicier and can

add meat or

tofu.

Diverse choices;

menu includes

food from China,

Korea, Japan,

Thailand and

Vietnam.

Made fresh

daily; breads

and pastries

are made ev-

ery morning

and coffee is

refeshed often.

Pg. 12

The New Fast Food

McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s are things of the past. The classic American burger joint has been supplant-ed by a new breed of fast food- one which fa-vors ceramic plates over greasy paper bags, atten-tion to detail over speed of delivery, and quality over price.

Though hardly new- Panera, Chipotle, and Noodles & Company were all founded in the 80s and early 90s- these so called “fast casual restaurants” have recent-ly surged forward in their appeal and size. Each specializes in a type of cuisine and offers food of a higher caliber than tra-ditional fast food coun-terparts. Though pricier than an Arby’s or Taco Bell, these establish-ments offer fresh ingredi-ents made to order; many of them also only buy organic crops and holisti-cally raised animals.

The food is varied and is very good. Take Noo-dles for instance; though

it focuses primarily on a single type of dish (fun-ny enough, noodles) it finds great diversity in covering the palates of three continents. A sta-ple base is the only thing that holds together an otherwise mixed menu, allowing the restaurant to retain a theme while of-fering options for a wide crowd.

Because of the elevat-ed price of meals at these restaurants as compared to Mickey D’s, this wide crowd is often of the more yuppie contingent. It’s not uncommon to see businesspeople stopping in for lunch or to hear their Birmingham chil-dren claim they’ve nev-er tasted anything better than a bean burrito.

These eateries are not, however, opulent or overpriced. They pro-vide a tasty and afford-able meal which requires the customer to sacrifice a few dollars for superior food. Their meteoric rise to prominence is well de-served and each of Knight Life’s reviewed chains is well worth a visit.

By Michael GawlikEditor in Chief

Cuisine

Best It

em

Price Range

Quality

Ambiance

Nearby Lo

catio

n

Overall

$$

$$

$$

$$$

14 Mile & Woodward, Royal Oak6 miles from Lahser

Crooks & Big Beaver, Troy8 miles from Lahser

South of 13 Mile & Wood-ward, Royal Oak8 miles from Lahser

North of Square Lake & Telegraph, Bloomfield2.5 miles from Lahser

Steak Burrito

Penne Rosa w/ Chicken

Pei Wei Spicy Chicken

Smokehouse Turkey Panini

Sleek and shiny; unique combination of Mexican and metallic decor.

Playful and worldly; pic-tures of vari-ous continents adorn brightly painted walls.

Chinese modern; pots and pans hang above preparation counter amidst dim, tranquil lighting.

Sophisticated and quaint; open environ-ment thick with profes-sionals and young families.

Pg. 13

Due to being half a world apart, it seems impossible that students in Bloomfield Hills could experience Ger-many. But Lahser’s German class had the chance to do that. But rather than travel-ing 14 hours or more to ex-perience Berlin or Munich, students journeyed 42 min-utes south to the Dakota Inn Rathskeller in Detroit.

The Dakota Inn is the prime restaurant for anyone who wants to experience the German lifestyle first hand through food and drink. An ownership spanning three generations has allowed the Inn to uphold its original mission of bringing authentic German culture to Metro-De-troiters. It’s the perfect place for a German class field trip.

“The main purposes for going are to taste authentic German food and see the interesting architecture and décor of the restaurant,” says Lahser German teacher Herr Trottier. “Besides learning about the food directly (rath-er than just through talks in the classroom) and seeing the

architecture, I want students to learn that the German lan-guage and culture exist out-side of school.”

The trip is one that Trot-tier’s students have treasured for quite a while. “This is a field trip I have taken every year for the past eight or nine years,” he says.

“It was great,” comments Sr. Roman Trotskyy. “The food was delicious.”

He also hopes that fu-ture years will provide other opportunities to experience Detroit’s ample German tra-dition. “Next year I hope to include a side trip to the Highland Park Ford plant, which is about three minutes away from the restaurant,” says Trottier. “The plant is where the assembly line was first used for automobiles. It was also designed by Albert Kahn, a German architect who designed many famous buildings in the area.”

The chance to experience German culture certainly extends outside of Europe. Lahser students are lucky to be provided with opportu-nities to see another society without leaving their back-yards.

A group of German students enjoy a tradiontal meal at the Dakota Inn.

By Cole GilletteStaff Writer

An International Experience at HomeStudents go to Detroit’s Dakota Inn to experience German food and culture.

You are sitting at your computer on Amazon, ready to purchase those Beats head-phones you lusted over for months. You wait for the per-fect time to buy them. You type in your first name, last name, address, and all the other infor-mation needed to bring your long awaited gift to your door-step. Yet, it’s the last step that many people don’t consider. How do you pay for those head-phones? Cash is irrelevant; credit card is the best option. You whip out the card and start typing in the magical num-bers. You happi-ly click submit order and pon-der when you can begin en-joying your gift, when you really should be won-dering where all of your sub-mitted information just went.

The answer is a cloud, a collection of vast computers spanning the size of over three Lahsers. They contain cooling systems that are about the size of four field houses and can make a room feel like an Artic winter. While it is a relatively secure place to store informa-tion, it is not impossible for a skilled hacker to break into

a portion of a cloud, steal-ing any valuable information stored within it such as credit card information from on-line purchases. And not only your credit card is in danger; anything from Social Secu-rity Numbers to Facebook

and Twitter login information stored in the cloud can be ac-cessed. It’s the simplest things we do on the Internet that we don’t realize could potentially be our detriment.

With the chaos of the hol-iday season, consumers are trying left and right to expe-dite the gift giving process, whether or not they are wary of they are truly doing. This is the time to be exceedingly

careful with anything you do online. There are easy ways to spot if you are being scammed into a trap you can’t escape. Make sure that you are using your own personal computer, because it eliminates user-name and password theft when

sharing a computer with mul-tiple people. A trusted Wi-Fi connection is also key because it is very easy to password snoop onto various networks. Plus, using someone else’s Wi-Fi without their approval, or leeching, is illegal in most states. While it isn’t against the law everywhere, do you truly know what is on the oth-er side of the network you are using? Using a private brows-

Pg. 14

er to surf the Internet, one can obtain any personal informa-tion including web history is not saved anywhere in the sys-tem. It’s safe to say that term think before you click can save you from not only fraud, but also a lot money reserved

for gifts instead of legal fees.At the end of the day, the

Internet is a vast, unknown place in which we put too much faith. It’s always smart to keep in your head “Where is my information going?” and to keep the online shopping and Facebooking to a safe mini-mum.

Clouds, or massive computer storage systems, are respectable but fearsome enti-ties which should be approached with caution.

By Jazmynn CroskeyArts Editor

Pg. 15

The weather is nippy. Frank Sinatra, Mariah Carey and Michael Buble are on re-peat while minds are tuned to holiday spirit. As the holidays near, it’s duty to show undy-ing passion for each and every single person abut whom one cares. Jourdan Paige is some-one who knows exactly that. With an adopted family of eight children, Christmas and Hanukkah are celebrated with equal enthusiasm amidst a rap-id come and go atmosphere.

Ten people bring constant traffic to the Paiges’ three-sto-ry home. “My house is al-ways buzzing,” says Paige. “Someone always needs to go somewhere and it’s hard to

find a quiet place. It’s crazy, but I wouldn’t trade it for any-thing.”

The fourth out of the 8 siblings, ranging between the ages of three and twenty-five, Paige is always humble when it comes to her family.

While she admits that babysitting younger sibling almost everyday becomes ex-hausting, Paige acknowledges that in the long run, it’s re-warding to be part of such a large, diverse family.

“We love any holiday that celebrates the spirit and appre-ciation of family,” she says.

“Not much goes for grant-ed when you’re part of a fam-ily this big. Each and every family member plays a certain role in the family, no matter what their age is.”

A self-driven student, Paige is built up and influ-enced by her siblings beyond holiday celebrations. She will be the first of eight to attend a university and is anticipating her future endeavors. In tan-dem, she is ecstatic that she is fulfilling her role as a role model for her younger and older siblings. But, she isn’t satisfied with herself yet. Not yet decided on what she wants to pursue in college, she plans

During the holidays, our pets are a part of the celebra-tion as much as they are a part of the family. Sr. Lexi Kelter aims to provide for the pets without a family to care for them this holiday season. Lend a Paw, a project Kelter and her friends, Paige Sambor, Kelly Montgomery, Jordan Segassar, and Maddy Peters launched in order to provide food and pet supplies for the animal shel-ter, makes this seasonal cele-bration a little brighter for the animals.

The project was started to aid her participation in the Na-tional Honor Society, but Kelt-

er always had a love for ani-mals. “I’ve always had a big interest in animals,” she says. “I’ve also been volunteering at the animal shelter since eighth grade, so I know the people there pretty well, too.”

Through this project, stu-dents at Lahser are asked to bring in new or gently used blankets, rags, towels, leashes, toys, and cat food or dog food. All donations will proceed to the Michigan Animal Rescue League.

“The people at the shelter really appreciate what we’re doing for them,” Kelter con-tinued, “and I know the ani-mals there will really appre-ciate it too, because they need all the supplies they can get.”

Kelter is happy to be doing this for the animals as well as the community, and sees the importance of giving back to the community. Kelter said smiling, “For Christmas, I get my dog toys, and I want the animals at the shelter to enjoy just as good of a holiday as any other pet.”

Why Lahser Should Lend a Paw Sr. Lexi Kelter’s passion and love for animals fuses with holi-

day spirit to make a difference this winter.

By Julia LeeJunior Editor

The Holidays are a time of giving that bring out best in everyone. People do all differ-ent types of services ranging from working in a soup kitch-en to simply donating money to their church and everything else in between.

The Bloomfield Hills Char-gers is no exception to this holiday spirit. Giving back to the community is an important lesson this team has come to learn. Their goal this year is to collect canned food for those in need, particularly at Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac.

In past years, students have piled into to the rink for

free give-away Chargers long sleeve t-shirts. This year, how-ever, the team has a vision to collect as many cans as possi-ble by incorporating the give-away with the collection of cans.

To promote the gesture of giving, the agreement is “Give a can, receive a t-shirt”. Stu-dents are encourage to bring any canned or boxed food to donate in return for a Bloom-field Chargers shirt. The hope is to spread the holiday spirit, and provide heart warming satisfaction of those who do-nate.

Brain Keener, a Senior cap-tain on the Chargers Hockey Team, states “It’s a great way to get publicity for the hock-

ey team while giving back to those in need around the hol-idays.”

Indeed, the Bloomfield Chargers are doing their part to help the less fortunate and make the holiday season a lit-tle bit more satisfying for giv-ing students.

on enjoying the rest of her senior year while continu-ing to live in one of the most unique families imagin-able.

December is a special time of cel-ebration with Jourdan and the Paiges. It draws upon the traditions and les-sons of all its diverse mem-bers in order to create a beau-tiful and cohesive mosaic.

By Jordan RicarteStaff Writer

A DYNAMIC FAMILYSr. Jourdan Paige comes from an extensive and unique home life.

Hockey Team Gives Back During Holiday Season Chargers organize food drive for the

less fortunate.

Call:(248) 860-4017

By Chris GarciaStaff Writer

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Return from Break Winter Informal Dance

Second Semester Begins

Final Exams: 1st and 3rd Hour

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Final Exams: 5th and 7th Hour

Final Exams: 6th Hour and Make-up

Martin Luther King Jr. Day- No School

BHHS Incoming Freshmen Orientation

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National Popcorn Day

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