Paramount Pictures delayed the releasing of “Shutter Island” in October last year to this February, and it appears as if the gamble paid off. It topped this week’s Box Office, grossing 40.2 million.
The movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, bombards the viewer with flashbacks of the main character’s past, creating confusion and interest. The film is filled with suspense and a handful of startling action sequences. The movie lasts two hours and eighteen minutes, and is worth all time spent. Overall, the movie gets an eight out of ten.
The film is based of the 2003 novel by Dennis Lehane and is about two U.S. Marshals, Teddy Daniels, (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo). They arrive at Shutter Island, a hospital for the criminally insane, and investigate the disappearance of a patient. Teddy also has his own reason for going to the island-to find an inmate named Laeddis, who set a fire that had killed his wife a few years earlier.
As Teddy and his partner roam the island in search for clues, you learn about his past in World War 2, and the death of his wife. He also becomes overwhelmed with hallucinations of various things, including his dead wife. Early on, they decide to leave the island, but are unable to due to a hurricane.
The whole island and its patients have a strange feel to them, like they’re hiding something, and the director of the mental hospital is rather unhelpful and has never heard of the patient Leaddis. The Marshals also get strict orders that they are not to enter ward C and that the lighthouse surrounded by guards with weapons is ‘nothing’, just a sewage treatment plant or something of the sort. Because of this, Teddy develops a conspiracy that the people of Shutter Island must be hiding something, and decides to stay on the island and uncover the mystery.
The beginning of the film is a little dry and predictable, but I believe they did that to lull you into a sense that you knew what was coming, so that the epic plot twists would be more dramatic. Shutter Island is worth going to see once and maybe even twice. The ending is very impressive and leaves you with your mouth hanging wide open.
This is the first edition of the weekly column PM Nation by Cody Straub and Taylor Groff. The two will debate a relevant sports topic for the week. After reading the debate, the readers will have the opportunity to share any comments they have about the subject. This week’s topic is, should the NBA All-Star games be meaningful like Major League Baseball’s game.
PM NATION - A sports debate
The leagues we will debate will be the MLB and NBA. The MLB and NBA hold their All-Star break in the middle of their regular season. The top players in each of the leagues are chosen as an All-Star by the coaches and fans of their league.
Cody Straub: When 108,000 people attend this year’s NBA All Star game, why change it?
Taylor Groff: Just because numbers are going up doesn’t make the viewers 100 percent satisfied. One of the only interesting things that took place in the All-Star game was everyone finding out that Dwight Howard can pull up and drain a three (point shot) out of nowhere. It’s absolutely ridiculous and boring. I would rather spend my time watching the cooking channel than staying up watching this pointless game.
Cody Straub
CS: Just because it’s past your bedtime doesn’t mean every other fan didn’t tune into the best pick-up basketball game in the world where Superman (Howard) is dropping threes, and other great players in the league are trying crazy stuff to entertain the fans. If you want to see the best basketball players play against each other for real, just go to any NBA arena during the season. The All-Star game is meant to entertain and amaze people by showing the other side of the player’s skill.
TG: My bedtime would be later if this game was something I could actually enjoy watching. I do agree that the All-Star weekend is supposed to entertain the fans, but I would rather see the league’s elite players playing in a high intensity game.
Taylor Groff
CS: Nobody cares what you think. It’s about all the fans.
TG: Considering I am a fan and I do care says enough. This game should be meaningful. I am not the only fan that would like to the see the best players in the world compete at a higher level and possible play for home court advantage for the NBA finals.
CS: Home court advantage should be given to the best team playing in the finals. Home court should not be given to the team in the best conference but be given to the best team, like Superman and the Orlando Magic.
TG: That might be, but look at the MLB, for instance. Their All-Star game winner gets home field advantage in the World Series. Since they decided to make the All-Star game meaningful, the ratings have risen by about two million viewers, according to Baseball-almanac.com. I think that this would have the same effect on the NBA if they would consider doing this.
CS: Taylor ,when 108,000 people go to the game, I don’t know how much more popular it can get. The All Star BREAK is a break for these players during a long and demanding season. They need time to goof around during the serious season.
TG: Well, that’s all we have for today. I would like to give a shout out to my boy Kevin “Durantula” and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
WARNING: This article contains images that may be deemed disturbing or offensive to some. Viewer discretion is advised.
Chew, Chaw, Snuff, Dip- all words for chewing tobacco, all part of Penn Manor’s underground world of dip.
Cigarette smoking among teens declined from 36 percent to merely 20 percent from 1997 to 2007. However, smokeless tobacco use is growing among high school teens across the country.
Penn Manor is no exception.
Students here estimate the use of smokeless tobacco by their peers ranges from 15 to 50 percent of male students in the high school.
Smokeless tobacco use rises among American teens.
According to a representative of the American Cancer Society, national statistics show “more than 13% of all the boys and more than 2% of all the girls surveyed had used some form of smokeless tobacco.”
While the real total may never be known, school officials are not convinced it is a problem.
Penn Manor Principal Doug Eby said that “(chewing tobacco) is not a major problem,” and that he has “only had to deal with it a handful of times this semester.”
Students who use smokeless tobacco, however, are so secretive with their practices, it may be masking how widespread the problem really is. Students spoke to reporters with the request their identities remain anonymous.
“Best way to hide it is to put it in the side of your mouth. It needs to be a small dip,” said one user.
“ I dip in school and spit on the floor,” said another regular chew user.
They are not the only ones at Penn Manor who have used chewing tobacco but managed not to get caught with it. And despite the health risks, many students say the benefits they get from “chew” outweigh those risks.
Students say they use chewing tobacco for different reasons, such as not smoking but still getting that nicotine kick in school.
And there are other reasons.
“I dip because my friends do,” said one student.
“I caught my brother chewing so I started,” said another Penn Manor student.
“I started when I was at (a sports) camp,” another noted.
One student also said that he started dip to try to quit smoking cigarettes, even though chewing tobacco cans clearly warn that chewing tobacco is not a healthy alternative to cigarettes.
Students seem to be able to acquire chewing tobacco despite the age limit on buying it. Photo by Damien Oswald
Chewing tobacco can lead to lesions in the mouth, which can lead to mouth and throat cancer, say health officials.
“There are many terms to describe tobacco that is put in the mouth,” said Daneen Baird, a spokesperson from the Lancaster branch of the American Cancer Society. “Spit, spitless, oral tobacco and snuff tobacco. But the use of smokeless tobacco by any name can cause cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, gum disease, pre-cancerous spots in the mouth and nicotine addiction.”
Rick Bender, former baseball player and cancer educator, shares his story at UVSC of surviving oral cancer caused be chewing tobacco. He lost part of his jaw to surgeries and chemotherapy to eliminate the cancer. April 5, 2006 Photo by Stuart Johnson
It seems even the deadly diseases that may be caused by the product aren’t a deterrent to dippers at Penn Manor.
“I just don’t care (about the effects),” one student remarked.
“I’m not scared of cancer,” said another chewing tobacco user.
That disregard for the dangers of dip and chewing tobacco follows a national trend documented by Legacy Health, a national reporting organization which has followed tobacco use among youths for the last 35 years.
According to Legacy Health, the perceived risk of using smokeless tobacco products also has decreased in all grades– a troubling trend indicating teens are not fully aware of the harm smokeless products can cause and are also not aware they are not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking.
While kids may think smokeless tobacco is a healthier alternative to cigarettes, it is not. In addition to cancer risks, according to the American Cancer Society, the use of smokeless tobacco also has been linked to heart disease and stroke.
After being shown a picture of a young man with his jaw removed because of chewing tobacco, many users at this school still didn’t have a change of heart.
“I think that (photo) is funny,” said one student.
“I’m quitting right now,” he said as he looked at the gruesome picture.
There were a dozen students interviewed for this story who were not occasional users but who “dipped” at least once a day.
“I use a can a week,” said one of those users.
“A can will last me 3-4 days. The hicks in our school probably think I’m a [wimp].”
“ It takes me two days to kill a can,” another chewing tobacco user said. “ I dip as often as I can.”
School Resource Officer, Jason Hottenstein, explained the school’s consequences for the use of chewing tobacco are the same as for cigarettes. There is a $10 fine for having the product and a $25 fine for use of the product.
Apparently the fine does not seem like a steep price to pay for a kick of nicotine to many students.
“I don’t give a [care] about getting caught, I need my buzz,” a student remarked.
Hottenstein explained that officials have various ways to catch students with smokeless tobacco in school.
According to another medical website, www.cancer.org, while chewing tobacco is less lethal than smoking, it can still be deadly. Tobacco use was the number one preventable death along with high blood pressure. More than 800,000 people died in 2005 of tobacco-related causes.
The facts are out there, yet kids are in Penn Manor have not been deterred.
Would dipping ever come to a halt at Penn Manor?
Said one confirmed dipper, “It’s not going to stop. I can guarantee that.”
Apple has plans to take over the world, including Penn Manor.
In the middle of dozens of rumors flying around about an ever changing cell phone policy, could the new Apple iPad be the perfect addition to the school’s already large collection of technology?
“We’ve been talking about it and it’s hard to make predictions without physically seeing it, but from what I’ve seen, it has its positives and negatives,” said Penn Manor’s head of technology, Charlie Reisinger.
The iPad, only measuring nine inches long diagonally, is a touch-screen computer made by Apple that comes with applications including Safari internet, e-mail, and podcasts.
Apple iPad: future of Penn Manor? Photo Courtesy of avivhadar.com
“I think it will really be useful to a lot of people. Regular internet surfers and computer lovers are going to want one,” said sophomore Maranda Kurtz.
Computers, smart boards, digital projects, and technology courses have been changing classes already, but the iPad could advance the school in incredible ways never seen before.
Preloaded with a ‘Notes’ application, students could take unlimited notes resulting in saving thousands of pieces of paper school wide.
“I think it would be great for schools, especially if we could just e-mail all our work to teachers and use barely any paper in classes,” said Kurtz.
The downloadable application ‘iBooks’ could be the answer for English classes, allowing students to read and download books directly onto the iPad, and students would never have to share books in classrooms again.
“One of the positives is that it goes at least 10 times beyond the Amazon Kindle (a device that allows books to be downloaded and read portably),” said Reisinger.
However, is the price of $499 worth it?
“The price is better than most laptops and are closer to the cost of net books,” added Reisinger.
With something this new, people are always doubtful, and even Penn Manor has its fair share of ‘critics’.
“[Hypothetically] I don’t think the school should get them. We already have laptops and the capabilities are the same,” English teacher Holly Astheimer said, “Plus, iPads have applications and music in them which kids already have but shouldn’t have out anyway.”
“It would be very difficult to manage them remotely like we can with the laptops and as of now we aren’t sure which applications will run,” said Reisinger.
According to Rob Reynolds from 21st Century Learning, “[iPad] Tablets will allow users to have the functionality they want at a price they can afford. More importantly, they will usher in a new era of learning material distribution and subscription models for textbooks. The net result will be lower education costs across the board.”
What Apple calls “Our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price” would change schools no doubt, but when it comes to deciding how, students and teachers will never be on the same page — web page that is.
Dr. Seuss is on his way to Penn Manor High School.
Sunday Feb. 28, Seuss’ birthday,Penn Manor is holding their tenth annual Read-A-Thon; a day of reading for children under the age of 8. The event will last from 2-4 pm.
“Ten years ago Mrs. Wall, Mrs. Shellenberger, and I started [the Read-A-Thon] and it just became tradition,” said Susan Hostetter, Penn Manor’s librarian and a founder of the Read-A-Thon.
Kids will participate in several activities Sunday varying from crafts to reading Seuss books to a pajama parade for those who wear their pajamas.
The Cat in the Hat will visit Penn Manor Sunday. Photo by Kennedy Phillips
Craft stations will be based on different books. Kids will be jumping on bubble wrap while reading “Hop on Pop” and eating Swedish fish during “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”.
Millersville Fire Company will be attending the event, carting in the Cat in the Hat. Children will have the opportunity to explore the inside of a fire truck.
Faculty, along with the students, will dress up like Seuss characters and be available to read to the children.
“The day is all about high school students [and teachers] showing how important reading is,” said Hostetter. “I think it brings our community together.”
“The purpose is to encourage reading as a life long activity,” said Amy Wall, a business teacher at Penn Manor and another founder of the day.
Children’s books were collected from Elementary Schools for the event.
Kids from Penn Manor School District will participate in the Read-a-thon Sunday. Photo by Kennedy Phillips
Each child has the opportunity to register to win various prizes, including gift certificates to Barnes & Nobles and Borders- donated by the Penn Manor Education Association.
Other sponsors involved are Kauffman-Gamber Physical Therapy, Darrenkamp’s- who gave paper products for activities and snacks, Shultz Transportation, and the Penn Manor Education Foundation.
Penn Manor’s Serteen Club and National Honors Society will also be involved in the Read-A-Thon.
“We couldn’t hold this event without them,” said Hostetter.
Any child planning on attending is asked to bring a caring adult, their favorite book for D.E.A.R.- Drop Everything and Read time, and if possible, a new book to donate for a child who is less fortunate.
Two years ago, Penn Manor’s emerging bowling star, Coty Johnson, was in a match for his local league bowling team with a perfect game going into his final frame.
With one more strike to get the perfect 300 score, Johnson let loose on a bowl that could earn him this incredible feat.
“It felt good coming out of my hand, but when I saw that one pin left standing, it was definitely tough,” says Johnson.
The junior, who has bowled six perfect games before in practice, had another crack at the perfect game in a varsity match against rival Hempfield Saturday, Feb. 13.
Junior bowler, Coty Johnson, recently bowled a perfect 300. Photo by Cody Erb
Johnson cruised his way down to the twelfth and final frame with a perfect game in sight.
“Once you get to the eighth or ninth frame and everyone is watching you because they know [a perfect game] is at stake, you start to get pretty shaky,” said Johnson.
It was all quiet, and with one more strike to reach perfection, Johnson stayed with his shot and nailed a strike to give him a flawless score of 300.
“It was a huge thrill,” says Johnson, “It was a great feeling.”
Johnson is one of Penn Manor’s top bowlers and his team is in the hunt for the playoffs as they stand in second place in the league.
They square off against Cedar Crest on Thursday, Feb. 18 needing four out of their seven games to turn out in their favor.
Johnson, due to a recent hand injury, will not be able to participate in Thursday’s match which could end up being crucial to Penn Manor’s chances.
Johnson’s incredible achievement will carry on with him throughout his bowling career at West Chester University as he looks to better his skills in hopes to become a professional bowler.
Jay Leno and NBC won the battle, but may have lost The Late-Night War.
Courtesy of NBC
Between Leno’s slowly dropping fan base and NBC’s rapidly falling ratings, this has proven to be a total public relations fiasco for the network.
On June 1, 2009, Conan O’Brien succeeded Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show while Leno transitioned to a prime-time feature, The Jay Leno Show. However, NBC’s ‘experiment’ was deemed a failure, and with negative reviews saying the show was ‘exactly what he did [on the Tonight Show] before’, The Jay Leno Show was rescheduled within seven months.
NBC’s planned remedy to this situation, involving the Leno Show moving to the 11:00 time slot and pushing The Tonight Show to midnight, and later simply reinstating Leno to his original position, did not go over well with O’Brien or his contract.
According to the agreement updated when O’Brien took the Tonight Show, NBC was obligated to keep him on as host for at least three years. With opposition mounting against the network, a $45 million deal was closed with O’Brien, as a form of compensation for his leave.
However, many fans continue to side with O’Brien and denounce NBC, even inside Penn Manor High School:
“Conan. Easily Conan. He’s…I mean, he was sold out,” said assistant principal Jason D’Amico.
“I’m going with Conan. I don’t know. I used to be a Leno fan, but…” said Richard Brenton, one of the high school’s Social Studies teachers.
But, it’s not as if Leno doesn’t have his own support:
“Leno, definitely. He’s funnier. Conan just seems like he’s trying too hard,” according to Penn Manor Custodian John Wealand.
Somewhat surprisingly, in an informal poll, throughout the school, and even among students, Leno’s fans prevail, amounting to almost four times Conan’s followers.
Dance crazes come and go, but two high school students, experienced in breakdance, want to show their appreciation by teaching others.
What started as a fun hobby to do with friends, junior Marcos Rivera and senior Daryl Jarvis, plan to teach other students how to breakdance. The students have been dancing for years and now they feel the need to share their experience and expertise with others who want to learn.
In the meantime, they are hoping to fulfill a dream of becoming a breakdancer themselves.
“Everybody has a dream, when you get that [dream] it is really hard to follow through alone,” Rivera, who hopes to become a professional himself, said. “That’s what I’m here for, support.”
Marcos Rivera shows off his breakdancing skills. Photo by Mike Bouder
People have spent lots of time learning how to breakdance with Rivera and Jarvis who are sacrificing five hours out of their busy schedule, with school and after-school activities, to teach.
“I teach after school on Mondays and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m.,” Rivera said.
Rivera explained that if someone is not sure if this is for them, there are a couple of ways to get into the hype of breakdancing. There are many movies that have people breakdancing in them, or you can go to a place where people actually perform.
Every year, the Penn Manor Serteen Club and FFA host the winter formal dance. This is very similar to the homecoming dance, except that all the proceeds go to an individual, typically in the Penn Manor School District.
Last year, $800 was raised and given to Ron Reiss. This year’s proceeds will go to Sam Bell, a senior who has lymphoma cancer, hence the name of the dance, Songs for Sam.
Songs for Sam will be held Saturday, Feb. 27.
“Serteen and FFA usually work together on this dance, but they’ll be working even closer this year because of Sam,” president-elect Stef Friedman said.
Serteen’s president, Kayla Pickle, explained that they put together a little challenge, with hopes of raising more money: each grade has a team of two people, one a serteen member, one an FFA member. Each team has the goal to collect money, winning a prize if you collect the most.
The colors of the decorations will be purple and white, the colors for lymphoma (as seen by the purple ribbons on people’s backpacks throughout the school).
Dress for this dance is similar to that of homecoming.
“All we ask is no jeans,” said Pickle.
The two clubs hope to collect $1600 this year to give to Sam, with tickets costing $5 each and a teacher dress down day the day before the dance.
