Kaitlyn Rowbotham
National Editor
krow94@hotmail.com
    
    Oklahoma, where the earthquake comes sweepin' down the plain, was rattled Saturday as a 5.6 earthquake and its aftershocks rumbled through, the biggest quake in the state’s history. 
    Two minor injuries were reported by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. However neither person’s injuries were severe enough to send to the hospital. Aside from a warped highway and a tower collapse at St. Gregory’s University’s administration building, no major harm was done. 
    But this weekend’s earthquakes were the strongest yet in a state that has seen a dramatic, though inexplicable, rise in seismic activity.  Oklahoma usually had about 50 earthquakes a year until 2009. Then the number spiked and 1,047 rocked the Sooner State last year. Researchers installed seismographs in the area but most of the quakes recorded have been small. 
    The quake that shook the state Saturday occurred just after Oklahoma State defeated Kansas State. Fans were still leaving as the tremor shook the stadium. 
    “That shook up the place, had a lot of people nervous," said Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State wide receiver.
    The earthquake had several residents fleeing their homes in fear of collapse, including Jesse Richards’ wife. The earthquake was in Sparks, about 44 miles outside Oklahoma City. It was felt in the surrounding states including Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, northern Texas, and even some parts of Illinois and Wisconsin. 
    "We've been here 18 years, and it's getting to be a regular occurrence," said Richards. But, he added, "I hope I never get used to them."
    Geologists concluded that a 4.7 quake early Saturday was a foreshock to the big one that came later that night. They had recorded at least 10 aftershocks by Sunday morning and two of the aftershocks were big, both magnitude 4.0.
    The tower that collapsed at St. Gregory’s University was one of the four towers that give the administration building its “castle-look” said a St. Gregory’s spokesman. The other three towers were damaged but no one was injured. 
    Scientists are confused by the recent uptick in seismic activity. The most recent earthquake appears to have occurred on the Wilzetta fault but researchers aren’t sure since quakes east of the Rocky Mountains are harder to pinpoint. Most of the fault systems in the east are not studied as closely as major faults such as the San Andreas fault in California or the Holocene fault in Utah.
    "It's a real mystery," seismologist Austin Holland of the Oklahoma Geological Survey said of the recent shaking. "At this point, there's no reason to think that the earthquakes would be caused by anything other than natural shifts in the Earth's crust.”
                                                                      Posted 11/7/11
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Mike Lee
Football/Golf
ninjaturtle442@gmail.com

     One of the most important scores for colleges to view and take into account for weather a student gets into a University or not is an ACT score. 
    There just happens to be an ACT test Saturday October 22, and many Alta students are sharpening pencils and checking their calculator batteries. The ACT is an important college-entrance factor, and one that you don’t want to postpone prepping for.
     So are you ready?
    Many test prep ideas exist for anyone to prepare for this type of test. For example, classes sponsored by the U of U are offered here at Alta, as well as private tutors available to pinpoint weak spots and provide critical practice.     
    A plethora of prep books and guides cover all topics of the ACT and offer test-taking strategies as well as content practice.
     Even just getting on the internet and typing in ACT on Google is better than doing nothing at all. Knowing what will be on the test and how to deal with the questions is a big part of doing well on the test. 
    “After all the classes I’ve taken and all the books I’ve read, setting a pace and getting through all the questions is the best advice I would give," said senior Mitch Bingham, “Don’t let the test psych you out; people get freaked out by the test and don’t relax and answer the questions and do poorly on it”. 
    “The ACT is a test that asks you what you already know, it’s not new material. So don’t take it too seriously; you already know what’s on the test. You just need to recall what that information is,” said senior Tyler Saltmars,h who scored a 32.
    So good luck to all you who are taking the test this Saturday and if you haven’t studied  for it yet, it’s not too late take a few hours or so over the next few nights and find some information about the ACT and study it. 
    Don’t go overboard and pull three all-nighters-that would just be a waste of time. Be sure to get a good night’s rest before and eat a good breakfast to allow you to concentrate and do the best you possibly can on a test like this.

     Henry David Thoreau, leading transcendentalist and famous author, poet, and philosopher, is well known for several of his writing pieces, but his most famous action was his experience at Walden.  “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”  In Thoreau’s two year exile from civilization, he discovered several things about himself and what really mattered in life.  
    So how do we relate?  We live in a highly advanced technological age, which is actually very good and beneficial to us.  Especially as young people growing up in this era, we have witnessed (and are witnessing) several stark changes in the advancements of technology. 
    My simple plea is that, while we live in a world where everything is easier and so readily available, we abandon the simplicity and technology that is so prominent; at least for a little while.  I’m not stating this as a chastisement to teens, but merely a suggestion; an urgent suggestion.  I can’t solely point the finger though, because I, maybe more than some, am guilty of falling into the cycle of excessive technology use, or “The Loop”.  Our phones and iPods are always with us, thus feeding that instant urge to use them mindlessly.  And where ever there is a computer, is not Facebook our first search and top priority? 
    Starve yourself.  Take your phone, iPod, and headphones, and hide them away from yourself.  Don’t even look at your computer.  
    By breaking this connection between you and the outside world, we are connecting deeply within yourself.  Go outside, even if it’s cold, and just walk, listen, and look.  
    Use every God given sense and interact with the Earth.  By depriving ourselves of these devices, we are enhancing our natural and pure human abilities.  We are developing the characteristics that Thoreau was so fond of: soul, nature, mind, heart, etc.   
    If we could all heed Thoreau's philosophy and “live deliberately” by getting out of “The Loop”, we'd thank ourselves and gain far more than we think we’ll lose.
posted 10/13/11

By: Jaren Jolley
Alta Arts Editor
rykynandfelixinc@hotmail.com

      As we ease into my living room couches, Tanner Allen fidgets and glances around the room, maintaining his humorous disposition all the while, readying himself for the impending questions.  Allen, a junior this year at Alta, is an extraordinarily gifted artist.  “My art is very detailed, kind of twisted, dark, sometimes humorous, and yeah, I guess unique”, says Allen modestly.  
    As for inspiration, Allen says this: “Art is just something I do; everything is already in my mind. I just draw or paint it.  Inspiration doesn’t really come from anywhere.” 
    Viewing Allen’s end product is utterly a visual stimulator, but to see him literally create his work, line by line, is a remarkable experience.  You are watching a genius in his finest medium. 
     Allen will almost always create what HE feels like, and nothing else. Allen says, “If someone asks me to do a piece for them, it usually makes me NOT want to create, but once I’m done with something I want to do, I’ll give it away if someone wants it.” 
     Allen’s details in his work make for some very interesting pieces that can’t help but draw the eye.  “When people look at my art, I want them to think that they’ve never seen anything like that before, or it intrigues them, or even appalls them.  That’s why I like adding little twists.  They can think whatever they want, really.  Art is always open for interpretation”, says Allen. 
    Enrolled in AP Art Studio this year he has high hopes for his art in the future.  Allen says, ”I want to pursue art as a career, either as a comic book artist, commercial artist, fine artist, freelance,  or whatever.”  
    Allen’s hilarious and genuine yet reclusive attitude is a good gauge as to what kind of art he is creating.  “My art is changing and developing as I grow as an artist.”  For example: “I used to use a lot of slogans and quotes in my pieces, now I kind of focus on the overall weirdness and detail of it.”  
    It is not a question as to whether his art will take him places; his skill supersedes most.  “I think it’d be cool if I inspired people because of my art, but I make it for me.  My art is my mind.”
Selected works from Tanner Allen below.

Ari Anderson
Clubs Editor
arianderson18@gmail.com
   
     Elizabeth Olsen, is finally coming into her own and out of her sister’s shadows. The twenty-two year old has grown up with famous siblings Mary –Kate and Ashley Olsen, and seems right at home in the spotlight.
     Her breakout role in Martha Marcy May Marlene, a psychological thriller film written and directed by Sean Durkin focuses on a young woman that struggles with delusions and paranoia after returning to her family from an abusive cult in the mountains. 
    She made her acting debut when she was four years old, and has since then had many minor roles in many of her sister’s movies, until Martha Marcy May Marlene came along and launched her career.
    The film was first released in January at the Sundance Film Festival, which brought her to many people’s attention. Then she acquired even more fame when the film came out October 7th or this year. It was just announced Wednesday that she won the Best Actress award and was nominated for Breakthrough Award and Best Ensemble Cast for her movie Martha Marcy May Marlene. 
    It has always been suggested that she has a good chance of winning many other awards this year, including an Oscar. And she is flattered. "I would feel really awesome (if I was nominated), I would feel pretty amazing. I'm not expecting anything but that would be insane."
    Sean Durkin, the director of the film has nothing but good things to say about her. "She's nothing like Martha! She's fantastic. She's extremely hard-working, extremely smart, level-headed and so focused it's scary," he said. 
    He goes on to say,"For her it's all about the work, which is so great to see. I'm just glad to be a part of her career." Aside from being a hard-working actress, Elizabeth is also a student at  student at the Tisch School of the Arts and the Atlantic Theater Company.
    Elizabeth Olsen is Hollywood’s “it-girl” of the moment, and something tells me she will be for a while.

Madeline Burdette
Readers Forum/Tennis Editor
mckayb22@gmail.com

     Obesity is becoming an epidemic in America, and some believe our food pyramid is to blame. The seemingly simple and frequently adjusted pyramid is being trashed for the new MyPlate. 
    The Department of Agriculture created this version to be a simple and more understandable way to approach nutrition. 
    The only problem is promotion and development of this supposedly better nutrition plan reportedly cost the U.S.D.A. two million dollars. So was it necessary? First lady Michelle Obama, speaking of young children, said, “They can learn to use this tool now and use it for the rest of their lives.” According to her, and other moms around the country, MyPlate is worth its high expense.
      MyPlate does have valid and smart dietary guidelines. It is based on smaller proportions, filling half your plate with fruits and veggies, and the rest with lean meats and whole grains. It makes sense, and is a nutritious way to eat. But do we really need the U.S.D.A. spending millions on a chart to show us how to eat?

Madeline Burdette
Readers Forum/Tennis Editor
mckayb22@gmail.com    

    While watching the killer whales at SeaWorld, did you ever think they could be considered slaves? According to PETA, three marine mammal experts, and two former orca trainers, they are. 
    These orca advocates took their case to a federal court, arguing that five orcas in two SeaWorld locations are being subjected to slavery and bondage. PETA is making a case that the orca’s supposed constitutional rights as mentioned in the 13th Amendment are being violated. But the amendment does not technically specify whether humans are exclusively protected, or if these rights are extended to nonhumans as well. 
    Section 1 of the 13th Amendment states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” 
    One might think this favors the lawsuit against SeaWorld, but what is slavery and involuntary servitude? In dictionary.com it states slavery as the condition of a slave, and a slave as a person who is wholly subject to another. Under these definitions, all household pets, zoo animals, and other SeaWorld animals would be considered slaves. 
    It seems at least a little pointless to focus so specifically on the orcas. A commenter from an article in the Environmental News Service said, “When I enlisted in the United States' Army, I swore to protect the rights given to the citizens of the United States by the US Constitution. This does not include animals, neither legally or morally. I DO NOT risk my life in Afghanistan and Iraq for a whale at SeaWorld. If you have an issue with the way animals are being treated, sue them for animal cruelty, not slavery." 
    So who do you agree with? 
                                                                                                                                         Posted 10/27/11

Gena Markman
Books/Hockey Editor
Gena.markman@yahoo.com

    Classic novel, included on most Language Arts teachers’ “extra credit books” lists, Brave New World is a terrific fiction novel about the future of mankind. Centered around individualism, technology, love, and obedience, the story truly captivates and leaves readers ruminating over the possibilities and what-if’s of tomorrow. 
    The population in the story stays at a permanent two billion keeping everyone in check and satisfied (with the help of Soma, their ‘happy drug’). People are conditioned- both through their sleep and interaction with society- to think and act in a certain way. There are no human ties between anyone- no lovers, family, or even real friends for that matter. The community is your friend, everyone is part of a united whole. Identity, creativity, religion, and beauty do not exist. The future generation is cooperative and efficient. The plot is truly terrifying, but gives you hope with its few defiant characters.
    The book may change your entire outlook on life by showing what’s really important: family, love, and finding your identity.
Highly recommended.

Carolyn Webber
World/XC Editor
Carolynwebs@hotmail.com
      Whenever I mention the words, “I want to go into Journalism,” people give me a reproving look and explain to me how Journalism is declining so it’s not a good profession to go into. My argument is that everyone still wants information. 
    Right now you’re reading a newspaper, it’s just in a different form. I attended a U of U sponsored symposium about the future of journalism with Martin Tolchin on October 27 and he said similar things. 
    Tolchin was a writer for the New York Times for over 40 years and founded online newspapers The Hill and Politico. To him, more people are participating in journalism than ever before. “The thirst for information has never been greater in our ever complex world.”
     Social media has made it so anyone can participate in journalism. Of course, this is a problem for those of us that hope to earn a living from this occupation. To this, he said, “If you’re good at what you do, you will find work.” This is true for all professions, but when anyone with a laptop can be a journalist, you need to stand out. 
    Because of this, he also advised readers to be their own editor. He said that you should ask questions while you read such as “Is the reporter biased? Analytic? What are they offering?”  Journalism has just about always been 99% opinion and 1% fact. The words a writer uses and the tone they take can subtly mask that author’s opinion, but it’s always there.
     Journalists are supposed to write about what the public want to read. That’s part of the reason why blogs came about. Mainstream media was not publishing for the public. 
    This was especially evident in the Arab nations over the last year. Social media helped to bring about revolutions all across the Arab world. Newspapers played a role in these revolutions as well, which proves that social media and newspapers are compatible. 
    With this, all news gets covered and the public has a voice. This has not always been the case. In history, the clergy had the only rights to read and publish. At some point it went to the aristocracy, and then it was transferred to the hands of the tycoons. Finally we are at the time that we can all write and read and contribute to society.
     Tolchin too pointed out the interesting fact that when papyrus was written on rather than stone, people thought this would never last. Manuscripts were foreign to papyrus-writers. Same with the printing press. Everyone always fears the new, but it generally turns out for the better. 
    When TVs were introduced, people thought no one would read newspapers anymore. This was not the case. And when the internet came into our world, everyone started saying their goodbyes to their newspapers. They may have changed format, but newspapers and magazines are still with us. 
    In fact, the NY Times numbers doubled when they turned to the internet. “This is a positive development.” Still, many newspapers are struggling. There’s no doubt that downsizing is happening and print journalism is declining. “But,” Tolchin pointed out, “the future of journalism rests with each of us.”
     Whether we write it, edit it, or read it, we all have a place in the world of journalism.
11/15/11

Andrea Kirk
Volleyball Editor
London_anny@yahoo.com

      If you want a great book to read, I would highly recommend Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel written by Lisa See. This book is about nineteenth-century China when foot binding was still going on. Living far from other areas or towns, people developed their own languages and customs. 
    This story starts with Lily, an old widowed woman and takes you throughout her life. It shows you how important the size of feet were back then and how much power they held.  
    Lily is haunted by memories of the people that once mattered to her. She has regrets of the lives she took for granted and for not understanding the situation first before she chose to part from the ones that mattered most to her. She is asking for forgiveness and she hopes that this book will somehow show the people she loved how sorry she is even though they have all passed on.
     This has become one of my favorite books. I read an excerpt for English and was hooked on it; I rushed out and bought the book, I recommend you do the same. It shows you so much about the Chinese culture and really does captivate your attention. Once you start, you will not be able to put the book down, I couldn't.
    It’s not a book for everyone, but it's a book that should be read. You can buy it at a book store, check it out at your local library or, buy it on your kindle. 
    Reading this book will change the way you see the people of China and will make you want to go out and learn more about them and other cultures. At least, I know that's what it did for me; it will make you feel like you are right there, next to Lily, living her life.

Mike Bishop
Outdoor Rec
mab57393@yahoo.com
    
     In 1966 Joe Paterno finally stepped up to the head coaching position after 16 years of being the assistant coach, to his old mentor Charles Engle. Engle had been Paterno’s high school coach before Engle had left to coach the Penn State Nittany Lions. Now it was Joe Paterno’s chance to show his old coach what he could do.
    With Paterno at the helm, Penn State saw almost immediate success. He coached them to five undefeated seasons and two national championships. He has been the head coach for 46 seasons and has won 409 games, while leaving a legacy of success behind him. He has made Beaver stadium like unto an impenetrable fortress, with more home wins than any of his opponents would care to mention. He has been around so long that the Penn State student body gave him the nickname of “old Joe Pa.” He has more victories than any other active coach… or at least he did. This brings me to the purpose of my story,” The Joe Pa” legacy is over.
   It all began a couple weeks ago when it was revealed that one of Joe Pa’s past defensive coordinator’s  Jerry Sandusky had abused kids and Joe Pa and the administration had done next to nothing to stop it. 
    This disaster has quickly spiraled out of control. Nearly everyone involved in the incident has been fired and Sandusky is facing charges. Even the great Joe Paterno, the beloved coach for so many years, has had his job taken from him just three games before he planned on retiring, right before what would have been his last home game, and just when he was in grasp of claiming the record for the most victories by any coach in college history. 
    Whether the legend deserved to be fired, that’s for you to decide. As a coach, however, there is no questioning his greatness. 
    So to Joe Paterno I say thanks, and goodbye.

    It's a wonder to me that the word "gay" can still be used to insult someone these days.  As a matter of fact, I've never understood what the insult was supposed to mean anyway.  What does it mean to call someone "gay"?  
    Does it imply that I am, in fact, a human being, capable of feeling an emotional bond towards another person?  Well if that were the case, how exactly is it supposed to be an insult?  The state of being homosexual doesn't imply any other quality aside from its literal definition. It's like saying to someone, "Man, you look totally human in those pants."  What is that supposed to mean?
    For one reason or another though, it seems popular culture has formed the idea that gayness is naturally associated with qualities such as weakness, flamboyancy, and in the case of lesbians, toughness.  
    Sure, perhaps some gays or lesbians share a few of these qualities, but does it mean they all do?  Do all gay guys obsess over their looks and talk with a lisp?  Do all lesbian women operate jackhammers and talk tough towards everyone they meet?  To answer those questions myself, I'll go ahead and say "No." 
    Fairly enough, these common misconceptions of what gay people are like is mostly a result of cultural misunderstanding.  For people who aren't gay and don't know any openly gay people, their only source of info seems to come from a very unreliable, albeit convenient, source.  Reality TV.  
    Here's the thing people, reality shows do not represent life as it is.  Gay people on TV do not account for all the gay people in the world.  
    The same goes for any race, religion, etc.  Just because you have a black friend who "Wasn't offended by it," it doesn't mean the thing in question isn't offensive to anyone.  Your black friend does not speak for all the colored people in the world, they only can speak for themselves.  The same way your gay friend might not be offended when people use the term "gay" as an insult, it doesn't mean no one is.
     Furthermore, it's good to keep in mind that just because you might not belong to a certain creed, race, or sexual-preference group, it doesn't mean you can't support them.  
    Too many times have I stood up for gay rights, only for everyone to automatically assume I am gay myself.  Of course I never actually confirm or deny their questions pertaining to my sexuality, because it simply isn't relevant.  
    So to wrap this whole little discussion piece up, let me just say this to anyone who still uses the word "gay" as an insult: STOP USING BROAD TERMS.
posted 10/13/11

by Ciara Blankenfeld
Opinions
ciara.blankenfeld@gmail.com

    As I drift through the hallways to get to my next class, it is almost impossible to not acknowledge the many couples who seem to be in their own worlds, and joined at the hip. If you were to ask them why they had those senseless smiles plastered on their faces, they would tell you that they are, without a doubt, head over heels, dizzy in love. Is it even possible for teenagers to be in love? Many say no; we are just kids and there is no possible way that what we are experiencing is love, it is mere infatuation.  
    I used to be one of those cynics about love and all of the romantic rubbish that inescapably came with it. But recent events caused me to reconsider my view.  With a new perspective on the matter, I think that it is possible for teenagers to be in love. In some instances, if not most, what the desperate teen believes is love, is in fact, infatuation.  In other instances, I think that the teen is in love with the idea of being in love.  However, there are those rare cases where no one could call it anything less.  The disappointment is that this love doesn’t usually last. Why? Teenagers are still young.  They are still growing and developing who they are- who they want to become.  Sometimes you just become too different. You grow up. Some of the teens don’t think that this will ever happen to them, but what they don’t realize is that love is easy as a teenager.  You are enveloped in a fantasy. When those young people decide to get married right out of high school, the realities hit hard, and the stresses of life become too much; even enough to overwhelm the love they once shared.  
    It is feasible for a teenager to fall in love, but improbable. Being so young, love isn’t something we need to be worrying about, let alone be searching for.  But if love happens to find you, it shouldn’t be denied just because you don’t believe it could even develop. If you do that, you might be missing out on something great.

Inspirational.
Ciara Blankenfeld
Opinions Editor
ciara.blankenfeld@gmail.com 

    Writers block has really gotten the best of me this past week. It just seemed impossible to find any inspiration at all. The idea of inspiration, or lack thereof, got me contemplating what that word actually means.  What is inspiration? I fumbled around the corners of my brain for the answer and eventually came to the conclusion that it is simply a driving force, impelling you to an idea.  Anything can be an inspiration to someone- from a potted plant to a masterpiece in a museum, these things can be just enough to spark a simple idea that develops into something truly exceptional. 
    So why has it been so difficult for me to find this simple force?  I started looking around at others, seeing what seemed to be inspiring them and found to my distaste that their inspirations were really lacking on the inspirational side.  When people are asked who they are inspired by, they will quickly answer with their favorite movie star's name or their favorite band or some other famous yet completely unremarkable person.  What has our generation come to?  Our ideas are being influenced by people who have done nothing but dressed trendy and made catchy but meaningless music?
    Yes, inspiration can come from anyone or anything, but I feel that more people need to look at the genuinely notable people. It may sound trivial, but there are real heroes all around us; people that are considered ordinary but are doing extraordinary things every day.  So now, when I think about inspiration, I think about those that, in my opinion, are worth being inspired by:  The single mom who is going through college so that her kids can have a better life; the service men and women that are putting their lives on the line so that we can continue to enjoy the freedoms we have; the man who offers his jacket to the man sleeping on the bench. All people who truly care. 
    I would have never thought I would learn anything from having that awful writers block, but I guess that’s the funny thing about inspiration- true inspiration can come only when you attempt to see the things which are great, not the things that the world is lacking.

Brian Tonkin
Teacher Feature/Baseball Editor
briantonkin55@msn.com

     Just take one look at the Epitaph tour and you’ll know how important Judas Priest is to the heavy metal world. On their farewell tour, the great Thin Lizzy and Black Label Society opened for them. After Zakk Wylde finished shredding for what seemed to be a millennium, the great British invaders were ready to show Salt Lake City the meaning of rock.
    The Metal Gods took the stage starting out with Rapid Fire and the show escalated from that point on. Rob Halford, despite being 60 years old, hit every high note like a true rocker. This being their final tour, Priest wanted to go out with a bang. 
    After playing fifteen songs, including The Sentinal, Turbo Lover, Starbreaker and other hits, the band was seemingly finished, but that’s just not the metal way.  
    A familiar guitar riff filled the arena and the jubilant crowd began to cheer. The whole stadium echoed with the words “Breaking the law, breaking the law…”, Halford's vocals could hardly be heard over the mass yelling. 
     Finishing the night with the classic, You’ve Got Another Thing Coming , the members gave a bow and left the stage. It’s hard to think that they will never be here again. 
    Forty years of heavy metal is at an end, just a few more concerts until Priest is officially done. From Rocka-Rolla to Nostradamus, Judas Priest has been the iconic metal band, the god of the gods. 
    Starting in the United Kingdom in the late 60’s, Judas Priest, along with Black Sabbath, were the first heavy metal groups ever.  
    So if you want to catch one last glimpse of pure unadulterated METAL, the Epitaph World Tour is your chance to rock.

By: Kaylen Thomas
Seasons Editor
Krazee_kay@hotmail.com
10. Unnecessary Swearing- It’s one thing to swear when you’re upset, but another to randomly put in a curse word in a sentence to sound “cool”. If you are going to swear, at least put in some effort to make the sentence make sense.
9. Random Shoving- Why is it fun for guys to push/punch their friends into other people in the halls?
8. Food on Stairs- There’s enough garbage cans in the school, why do people insist on leaving their food on the stairs for their peers to step in?
7. Random stopping- When a group of people insist on stopping in the middle of the hallway to talk to their friends and cause a major traffic jam.
 6. Hugs- When you’re walking in the halls behind someone who is going a good pace and then stops to hug someone in the middle of the hallway- causing you to run into them.
5.Walking on the wrong side of the hall- Most everyone in high school drives, why can’t we bring the rules of the road in the halls and walk only on the right side?
4. Hand Holding- Sometimes I feel like I am playing a game of red rover in the halls trying to get past people locked hand in hand.
3. P.D.A.-enough said.
2.Blocked doorways- Groups of students who have the decency to not be in the center of the halls, but instead are standing in the doorway of another hall, then when you try to get past them to get to your class, they look disgusted that you would even dare to walk through them.
1. Moving hugs- walking behind someone, who stops to hug their “significant other”, you try to dodge around them, but then the couple of the moment starts waddling around in a circle running into you anyways.

What are your high school pet peeves? Send us an e-mail and tell us about it.

By: Whitney Shurtleff
Dates&Dances editor
elshurt@gmail.com
    Breaking news! Recent studies show a decline in water bills nationwide, as a large percentage of the population moves strictly to recreational showering. With an upswing in dreadlocks and dirty-footed trends, Deseret Industries shows a significant increase in sales. Wool beanies, obscure books, and yoga mats are in high demand as we move into the 2011 winter season.
    As far as agriculture goes, things are looking up for recycling plants and garbanzo bean farmers. Albert Cutter, CEO of Recycle Inc. said, “We have received record breaking amounts of Fiji water bottles and empty hummus containers.”
    In response to the over consumption of Greek yogurt and chai tea, congress fears a need for MORE healthcare. They plan to finance this with budget cuts in the household appliance department. Apparently, less people are actually cooking their food these days. 
    When asked if ovens are a thing of the past, Shaun Purple, an innocent bystander, asked a question all of us are asking: “How will I cook my brownies?”
    Nicki Minaj released a new song this week. Unfortunately, no one heard it. Instead, ear buds softly release the less mainstream sounds of Radiohead and the #1 hit; I mean unknown song, “Artsy or die.” While still talking with Shaun, I asked what song he was currently jamming to. His reply? “Oh, you’ve never heard of it.” I’m glad he knows me so well. I didn’t question him further.
    He then climbed into his girlfriend’s dream catcher adorned Subaru Outback and drove away. You will notice an increase in such cars around town, as well as bicycles and hybrids. I fear we are witnessing history. Could it be? The Great Hipster Migration.

By: Whitney Shurtleff
Dates&Dances editor
elshurt@gmail.com

     What do you get when you mix Justin Bieber and Jaden Smith with T-Pain (at age 12) and multiply it by four? That’s right, Mindless Behavior. 
    With beats that make you sick-I mean-sick beats, and dance moves that are rockin’, you can’t help but jam along. You might confuse them with “Mindless Babble” or “Mindless Headache” but you better watch out; these toddlers are making a name for themselves.
     Roc Royal, Prodigy, Princeton, and Ray Ray have over 300k followers on twitter, and have received more than 16,000,000 hits on youtube. They even have superstars knocking down their doors to appear in songs with them. Their hit sensation “Mrs. Right” features the one and only Diggy Simmons. 
    This quartet of tweens, according to mindlessbehavior.com, has an “army of screaming fans following them everywhere.” Where does this “army” come from? Would they like to help fight the war on terror? More importantly, what has the world come to? 
    This noise has actually opened for Justin Bieber and The Backstreet Boys. So maybe I’m mistaken, maybe I’m delusional, maybe THIS is the definition of great music these days.     
    Personally, though, I give them the signature Whitney Shurtleff thumbs down, and a 1 out of 5 stars for effort, but go ahead and form your own opinion.

Carolyn Webber
World/XC Editor
carolynwebs@hotmail.com
     A lot of us seniors at Alta are turning 18. But what does that really entitle us to? We can’t sign our own disclosures, we can’t check ourselves out, we even have to ask to use the bathroom or get a drink. I thought that eighteen meant you were free to make your own decisions? When we reach that age, adults should recognize that we’re with them now; we aren’t incompetent children anymore.
    Seniors are heading off to college soon, and it seems that the jump between high school and real-life is going to be a leap for some. A lot of parents are still so overbearing that they won’t let their kids decide for themselves. They take the initiative to choose on behalf of us. Those kids who have parents in this mold are going to have responsibility thrust onto them when they leave the nest. Parents should allow their kids to make decisions and live with their own consequences now because that’s what they’re going to have to do soon enough. Seniors are applying to colleges and are making decisions that will affect their lives forever. If you can’t vigorously stand behind your decision with personal reasons, then you are not making your own choices. Listen to suggestions and talk things through, but your parents cannot choose everything for you. It’s your life, so it’s ultimately your choices that make it. 
    In school, our chances for independence are miniscule. When in the halls during class, faculty members suspiciously watch and wonder why you’re not in class. 
    As I said before, we have to go ask the teacher to take care of problems when it would cause less of an interruption if we could simply slip out the back door. 
    And then there’s the archaic adults that have an obsession with calling kids out when they see a shadow of a phone. Cell phones are a part of our world. Teachers and students both use them in class, there’s no denying it. If we need to send a message or receive an urgent call, we should be able to step out of the classroom and solve the problem. This is more realistic as to what college and jobs will be like. You personally make the call on what you’re going to do rather than someone forcing you. 
    So what can you do? Complain and whine like a typical teenager? That’s probably not the best solution. 
    My advice would be to fake it until you make it. It sounds cliché, but think about it. If you act like an adult and take on responsibilities, maybe your parents and teachers will trust you more. 
    Eighteen may seem like a huge step in your life. Ultimately, it’s just a number. It’s how you act that defines whether you’re truly ready to be an adult.  
11/1/11

Gena Markman
Books/Hockey Editor
Gena.markman@yahoo.com

    After a long day of work, Evelyn hops into the back seat of a taxi and instructs the driver to take her to the well-known American Museum of Natural History. She gets no reply.     
    After several blocks in an unfamiliar part of town, Evelyn begins to get nervous… “Where are we going?” She leans forward and asks the driver, her voice tense. “Excuse me,” she repeats “where are we going?” She leans more and looks through the plexiglass divider to see the driver’s seat completely vacant! You think this is farfetched? 
    Think again. One year is ten years in the tech world. We have advanced from walkie-talkies to touch screen phones that have a computer, GPS, game console, camera/ video recorder, book store, and Mp3 system built in. Who needs common sense? Day-to-day skills? To be coordinated and alert? A sense of control? There’s an app for that… and that, in my opinion, is exactly the problem.
    Don’t get me wrong, technology can be a beautiful thing that adds fun and convenience to our lives… but is it okay for it to take over our lives? The Lexus LS460 is one of the many new cars equipped with an “Advanced Parking System”… a system that only requires the driver to brake softly and stay attentive, allowing you to literally watch your car park itself. 
    Now, I can only imagine the next step; watch your car drive you to work, watch your car help you escape a bank robbery, watch your car pick up your children?! This is insanity. Soon we won’t need driver’s licenses at all and your little brother can drive himself to preschool.
    And what happens if you don’t give your car proper oil changes? It might, in an emotional frenzy, just drive you off a bridge. In all seriousness though, a world where a car accident is completely out of your control and can happen at any moment due to an equipment malfunction doesn’t settle my uneasy mind.
    Now, go home, change your oil, and master that parallel park! Before they invent a hovercraft that will do it for you…

By Nicholas Lives
Movies/Music Blog Editor
undeadmoose@yahoo.com

    So here I am again, reviewing yet another music album in my not-so-professional-but-apparently-entertaining way.  Today's special little album is the recently released Wildflower, starring the vocal talents of a certain 16-year-old American idol runner up by the name of Lauren Alaina.  
    Normally a 16-year-old singer with her own album would be a rather impressive feat, but considering how many pimply youngster singers are invading the music industry these days, it's really not much of a surprise to me anymore.

So Wildflower, then.  Let's start with the first track shall we?

1. Georgia Peaches
This one seems to be very classic country.  Upbeat, fun, and many references to girls wearing jeans.  What's with country singers and their jeans anyway?  I never hear anyone write songs about their cargo shorts.

2. Growing Her Wings
Oh boy, yet another teen song about growing older and more mature.  Never heard one of those before!  Alaina keeps mentioning how she's "stuck in rice county," and how she longs to spread her wings and "fly," but considering she's singing this on her debut music album, something tells me she's not really "stuck at home."

3. Tupelo
Tupelo is apparently a city or a town of some sort, in case you didn't catch on to that.  I sure didn't know what it meant until Alaina kept singing about "heading way down to Tupelo."  I mean, there's not much else you can "head way down" to, unless its an underground civilization of mole-people or something.  Actually, in retrospect, that might actually make for a better song, because this one is repeating its "la la la la's" to the point where I feel as though my head may explode.

4. The Middle
Looks like we're shifting from upbeat country to blues-y country.  Listening to the soft guitar strums in the background along with Alaina's suddenly mournful tone tells me that this song is undoubtedly about some guy she likes who moved away or something of the like.  Not that the vague nature of the lyrics are helping clarify that.  With all this talk about "staying," and "making it last," she could be singing about her poodle for all I know.

5. Like My Mother Does
This song was apparently Alaina's first single hit.  This seems pretty reasonable, since the content of the song is certainly different than that of most teenage songs these days.  Whereas most teenage singers spend all their time singing about boy crushes and how much they love wearing jeans, (including Alaina of course) this song revolves around Alaina's love for her mother.  You ask me, that's a pretty bold move for a song.  Quite moving, but at the same time, I can't help but feel the song was made with the intention to make people cry.

6. She's a Wildflower
Is that the album title I see there?  Yep, it sure is!  Well this better be the best dang song in the album since they were so keen to name the whole album after it.  This one seems to be the kind of song we're sure to see in movie trailers about groups of teen girls being all independent and strong and what-have-you.  Decent enough, I suppose.

7. I'm Not One of Them
Alaina seems to be harnessing the angry energy of "Pink" in this little sassy number.  I must say that songs like this, where the lead girl sings about how "you're gonna have to do better than that" in order to win her over, always give me a bad impression of the singer.  Why does she go around telling guys that they're not good enough for her?  Talk about a heartless way to reject someone.  A simple "No" would suffice, Missy.

8. The Locket
Judging from the title, this one is gonna be very sentimental and soppy.  Let's see if I'm right... (plays track)
Yep!  Alaina starts singing all mournful again about her military-enlisted boyfriend.  Wait a minute, boyfriend?  Well if that's the case who was she singing to about "doing better than that" in the last song?  Is it the same guy?  Well no wonder he went off to war!  He was probably tired of dealing with your judgmental attitude, Alaina.

9. Eighteen Inches
The title of this one is apparently referring to the distance between
a person's head to their heart.  I guess no one can say that Alaina doesn't do a little anatomical research before writing her songs.

10. One of Those Boys
First, Alaina's telling us "she's not one of them," possibly in an attempt to rid herself of female stereotypes.  Now, just three songs later, Alaina's telling us she only wants a stereotypical backwoods boy with a truck and a fishing pole.  What's with the double standard, huh Alaina?  Men are allowed to be grouped together in a sentence but not women?  Tsk, tsk, tsk, Alaina.

11. Funny Thing About Love
I swear there has to be about a billion songs with this title.  Everyone thinks love is such a "funny" thing, but I never hear any laughing or giggling in these songs.  What gives?  On another note, when the phrase "can't get enough" appears in your love song, you deserve to get your teeth kicked in by Barry White.

12. Dirt Road Prayer
Finally, we've reached the end of the road. (See what I did there?) This final song slows things down again after the fast-paced previous one.  This seems to be about as sad as Alaina gets in this album, but unlike the others, this one seems to be a song of hope rather than a song of loss.  For some reason I can't help but envision a Nun kneeling down on a gas station dirt road while I listen to this.  Anyway, good ending I suppose.
FINAL WORDS:
Overall, the lyrics all feel pretty cliche and dull, but the mix of upbeat country and blues country makes it an easy album to listen to.  The best of the bunch is most definitely "Like My Mother," because it actually finds a way to stand out amidst the many country songs about jeans and dirty trucks.
OVERALL SCORE: 3 Strong-Independent-Teenage-Girls out of 5.
    Here I am again with another first-impressions track-by-track album review.  Today's special treat is Coldplay's newest album entitled "MyloXyloto," which probably means something cool when translated to English from hipster, I'm sure.  Alright, enough time has been wasted already. Let's do this!

1. Mylo Xyloto: Wow, opening an album with the album title song is a pretty bold move there, Coldplay.  You must be fairly eager to impress me, eh?  Well let’s see just how title-worthy this oddly named song really is, shall we?  So far the tingling bells and electronic zinging are making for an appropriate build up…I like where this is going... Wait, are they saying the words “hurts like heaven?”

2. Hurts Like Heaven: Wait what happened??  We’re already on the second track?  Oh I get it; this must be one of those “musical experience” albums, where every song blends into the next seamlessly.  Hmm, channeling some Pink Floyd here are we, Coldplay? Well here’s a question: Why is the album’s title song getting relegated to a 10 second build up to the next song?  Maybe it’s just me, but I think naming the album after what basically amounts to the sound of electronic jingle bells somewhat underwhelms the listener’s expectations for the rest of the album.  Hold on a minute, is that fading I hear?

3. Paradise: Way to be consistent, Coldplay! The last song faded out completely and this song just started like it was its own independent thing!  So is this a “musical experience” or not, guys?  Oh forget it, let’s just listen.  … From what I gather by the lyrics, this song seems to be about some sort of “paradise,” but the phrase “Para-para-dise” is regularly accompanied by what sounds like a child whining at his mother. “Eeeee-Eeeeeeah-Ooooh!”  Not sure what kind of paradise this is supposed to be; maybe Coldplay just finds the sounds of spoiled infants to be particularly pleasing.

4. Charlie Brown: And there goes the last song fading out again.  Did you guys just start out wanting to make a musical experience but then found that it was a little bit too difficult to integrate all these songs into one another?  I suppose I’ll just drop it for now so we can get on with the listening of this song.  … So far I’ve sat through about a minute of this song, and I still can’t figure out what it has to do with everyone’s favorite manically depressed “Peanuts” child.  Not one mention of Charlie Brown, guys?  I keep hearing the phrase “glowing in the dark,” so if anyone can find a way to connect that to Charlie Brown, feel free to enlighten me.

5. Us Against the World: … Listening to this song, I gather this song is meant to be the political equivalent to “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” but less interesting to listen to.  You guys are up for global peace too?  Well more power to you for making a song about it, but did you have to make the song so - hold on, “It’s us against the world?”  What happened to being united with other countries?  Were you just singing about yourselves this whole time?  Well now I’m just confused.

6. M.M.I.X.:  Is that a “MIX” I see in this song’s mysterious acronym title?  Well I suppose that means we can expect a large variety of sounds and styles here, which is good news for me, because the last few songs were starting to feel a bit on the redundant side… sounds like we’re building up to something big here, I’m already getting pumped up!  And here come the guitars and vocals like a fantastic punch to the face.  Woo! Hmm.. what’s that they keep saying about teardrops and waterfalls?

7. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall: Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!  Again?  Coldplay, I thought we were over this!  Are you trying to sneak your way back into being a musical experience?  Coldplay seems to be developing a bad habit of making the mysterious sounding titled songs into pointless 10 second build ups to the next song.  Why didn’t you just incorporate the build up from M.M.I.X. into the beginning of this song?  I mean granted, this song has quite a bit of energy and enthusiasm for teardrops and waterfalls, and to be honest it’s probably the best song I’ve heard on this album thus far, but why waste an entire track on the buildup when you can just put it in the beginning of this song?  It’s either a musical experience or it isn’t Coldplay, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.  Just for that, I’m going to skip two tracks ahead because this album is beginning to test my patience.

     ---SKIP------SKIP----

10. Princess of China: Whoa, is that a woman singer I hear being incorporated into this song?  I didn’t know there was a female member in Coldplay, but her presence here is certainly a breath of fresh air after all those whiny male vocals I’ve been hearing throughout this album.  I’m not sure why, but the zinging tazer sounds in the background fantastically juxtapose the cheesy “once upon a time lyrics” that populate the foreground.  It’s like I’m listening to “Disney’s Cinderella: The Rock Opera.” 

10. Up in Flames: That last song won back my enthusiasm for this album, but this song’s incredibly repetitive lyrics and overly moody tone aren’t quite living up to my new-found expectations.  For one thing, whereas the last song actually had some sort of story to it, this song wanders off in vague and uninteresting territory.  What exactly is “up in flames,” Coldplay?  What’s that?  You don’t know because you presumably wrote the lyrics as an afterthought?

11. A Hopeful Transmission: More like, “A Hopeful Transition.” Come on Coldplay, just make up your mind already!  How many 10 second tracks are there going to be in your album, anyway?  Also, what exactly makes this song "hopeful?"

12. Don’t Let it Break Your Heart: Anyway, I guess we’re moving on to this one now.  So far it sounds like we’re flying on some electric piano carpet.  The lyrics are hard to make out due to the extreme echo applied to the vocals, which doesn’t really make sense if you think about it.  If we’re supposedly flying, why would there be an echo way up in the sky?  What’s the sound bouncing off of?  Clouds?  The last words I can actually hear in this song are something along the lines of “don’t...break your heart,” so at least I know I must have not been missing out on much having not been able to hear them earlier.  A song about hearts being broken?  Way to be original, guys.

13. Up With the Birds: Oh thank goodness we’re on the last track!  Listening to this song, it sounds like Coldplay really, really wants to be Pink Floyd.  The weird inhuman sounds echoing in the background, along with the thundering base clouding up the listener’s judgment all seem to be channeling the musical energy directly from Pink Floyd themselves.  I can’t help wonder if Coldplay is like the vampire of the music industry, sucking the blood and styles from other more popular bands in order to sustain their parasitic existence.  Of course, maybe it’s just me.

FINAL STATEMENTS: Overall, this album was... bearable.  While I didn’t feel like punching myself in the face until all remaining memory of the songs were eliminated from my brain, I have a feeling I won’t have to.  Setting aside for a moment my issue with the album being undecided on what it wants to be, most of the songs (with the exception of Princess of China) were largely unmemorable.  Even as I type this now, having just listened to the album, I’m already forgetting some of the tunes and lyrics.  Good songs can stick with you for an hour or so, but great songs stick with you forever.  Most of these songs did neither.  Better luck next time, Coldplay.

Overall Score:2 rockin'-Cinderellas out of 5.

    While no one seems to be able to stop the big names on the hardwood from scoring, the National Basketball Association is taking a different approach. Instead of moving their feet, or changing to a 2-3 zone, the NBA has locked the players out completely. 
    In fact, the first two weeks of games are canceled! To think that this is all because they can’t figure out how to handle money. The owners want to lower the salary cap and shorten the contract length while the players want to increase their raise percentages.
     REALLY GUYS? 
    Earning millions of dollars a year isn’t good enough for either side? This is one of the biggest cases of vanity and greed I have ever seen. 
    It’s like little children on the playground arguing on who gets the ridiculously large bag of candy. Neither kid wants to share at all, and if it does resort to sharing, the both sides want to be the one’s handing out the proportions in order to keep things in their favor. 
    Maybe it’s for the best this lockout. Maybe now all the players who think they are such big deals can finally feel what it’s like being unemployed. Either way we are a long ways from anything getting done.
     NBA commissioner David Stern said, "We remain, really, very, very far apart on virtually all issues." You guys spent 12 hours in one room with each other trying to negotiate! Twelve! That’s like watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy and still having 3 hours to spare! What could you possibly be doing?! 
    At this rate, I’ll be talking to my grandchildren about how back in my day, Basketball was a sport and not a verb meaning “to haggle money and getting absolutely nothing done.” 
    NBA Basketball is more than likely over for this entire year. And in this economy, it isn’t helping anything. Well, that’s just more of a reason to watch college ball this year.