Apocalypse on Its Way? Maybe someday

By Lauren Ressler –

Nice call Harold Camping.

Saturday, May 21 came and went without a trace of hellfire. Harold Camping, a radio-broadcaster in Oakland, California, is known for (wrongly) predicting the end of the world. His forecast of ‘Judgement Day’ on the 21st caused quite the stir across America. This false foretelling left many Americans rolling their eyes at the prediction of an end to the world.

“I don’t even really pay attention to them,” said senior Emily Hess about these horoscopes of doom.

Oops, Camping didn’t mean May 21, apparently after his prediction failed to materialize, he meant October 12. Whatever.

The future of mankind? photo courtesy of gomlab.com

“The end of the world is fine by me, but it can’t be predicted,” added librarian Sue Hostetter.

Harold Camping predicted that on May 21st, 2011 the world would be judged by God. More then 200 million people would be swept into heaven while the rest of humanity would be left to suffer for five months until the final end in October.

Apocalypse predictor Harold Camping, photo courtesy of cogwriter.com

Many religions around the world have different beliefs about what an apocalypse will entail.

According to a blog on Beliefnet.com, most Christianity-based religions believe the righteous will be raptured, or swept into heaven where they will watch the damned suffer for 1,000 years.

Judaism teaches that the exiles will be gathered into Israel, the dead will be resurrected, and everyone will live in a redeemed world. Followers of Islam believe that on Judgement Day, non-believers will be distinguished by having more sweat and God will give all a sweet drink to end all thirst.

Camping collected thousands of dollars in donations to warn others about Saturday’s not-end-of-the-world prediction. Courtney Hutchinson and Ryan Creed of ABC News said he used the money to post more than 5,000 posters, flyers and billboards warning others of the upcoming catastrophic events.

Maureen Klingaman, a French teacher at Penn Manor, recalled hearing about a young couple who planned to spend all of their money before Saturday so they could enjoy life before ‘doomsday.’

Joe Newby of The Examiner writes about these ‘Real Victims of Harold Camping’, outlining the disappointment some faced after the world was intact after Saturday.

“It seems that for some entrepreneurs, the anxiety of the end of the world has created a stable market,” wrote Rachel Brown of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Brown shed light on several businesses that are using the concept of the ‘upcoming apocalypse’ to make money. Eternal Earthbound Pets has acquired more than 250 clients who have bought insurance for up to $135 each, believing their beloved furry friends “will be raptured into heaven ahead of the apocalypse.”

Another business, Rapture Wear, sells jewelry inscribed with biblical verses.

Some email companies, according to Brown, are offering to send a ‘final correspondence on their behalf’ for a fee… assuming God will allow internet access after the Rapture.

“Hopefully the messages won’t be, ‘Ha-ha, I told you so; You’re going to Hell,” quoted Mark Heard to Brown.

Also, perhaps to appeal to the younger generation, there is a Rapture Detector app available for $0.99 on the Droid app market. Supposedly this app can alert you thirty minutes before Judgment Day begins.

Numerous websites and blogs have been dedicated to the doomsday predictions. Apocalypsesoon.org opens with a quote from the Bible stating, “The Revelation  of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants the things which must soon take place (Rev 1:1).”

A blog called Strange Days relates everyday occurrences, such as the Wiki leaks, DNA manipulation and the separation of church and state to the ‘foolishness of mankind’ and the end of the world.

“No doubt, the zombie apocalypse is on its way,” said Trevor Troup.

In fact, there are many things that point to an end to society as we know it. 2012apocalypse.net is a website dedicated to the factual details pointing to a possible apocalypse. The Mayan calendar, which was sacred and religious in their culture, suddenly ends on December 21st, 2012. Adrian Gilbert and Maurice Cotterell in the book The Mayan Prophecies explain that an end in sunspot cycles may flip the sun’s magnetic field, causing destructive earthquakes and floods.

The Christian Bible itself has many references to a catastrophic end to Earth. The Book of Revelation describes a rapture complete will hail, fire and flooding. In Revelations 8:10 it says “and there fell from Heaven a great star, burning as a torch”. This may relate to the scientific prediction that the asteroid Eros will pass Earth on January 31st, 2012.

The Prophecy of the Popes of the Catholic church claims this is the second-to-last pope. It says the last pope will be Peter the Roman who will serve until Judgment Day.

When all of these supporting facts are lined up together, it may seem that an end t0 Earth is possible, but the general consensus at Penn Manor is that an end to the world, although possible, cannot be predicted.

“It’s in the Bible (that) no one knows when it will happen,” said Troup.

Some students at Penn Manor had more lighthearted ideas about an apocalypse. Jocelyn Jones thought everyone will turn into Justin Bieber. Another student said she was scared of zombies.

Jokingly, an anonymous staff member said, “It would be fun to pop some zombies.”

Although Camping created a buzz about an upcoming Judgment Day, students are continuing to go on with everyday life and doubt that a prediction will ever be correct.

“I’m a religious person,” said sophomore Savannah Santiago. “When God wants me, He will have me.”

The Boys of Summer: Still Playing After Many Years

By Alex Geli, Jake Shiner and Sam Valentin –

It was the shortstop’s turn to see what he could produce for his team with only one run separating the score in the bottom of the final inning. “CRACK!” He sent the ball to the third baseman who scooped up the game-winning out.

The sound of the crack of the bat is similar to a noise that makes these players cringe, a sound that makes the players tremble, a sound at which their wives wince.

The sound of a bone breaking. Or more likely for this group, their hip breaking.

These players are more susceptible to the agonizing pain caused by injury. Why? They’re on the back-nine of life, between the dignified ages of 50 and 83, but they’ve still got some spring in their step – with the help of a cane sometimes.

The team preparing to bat. Photo by Jake Shiner.

“We get a new hip, we get a new knee, we get a new back,” one of the wives said from her striped lawn chair parked under the nearest shade tree,” then they come back and play again.”

And they just keep on playing.

Decades after they first hit for their high school team – back when a McDonald’s meal cost a lot less than a buck – these old timers have taken up the game they love in a league created just for them in southern Lancaster County.

These over 70s players wouldn’t even have the chance to be playing competitively if it weren’t for self-dubbed league commissioner Fred Funk. Funk started the newest addition to the league just this year, but it took a lot of work. Finding old high school friends to  play and a field to play at were both tough.

“A lot of those guys were big and strong back then, but now they’re just big,” smiled Funk.

Fred Funk can be called the creator of one of the leagues and even some of the teams. He sat in his alma mater Penn Manor for days sifting through decades old yearbooks, collecting names to contact for his baseball teams.

He was looking for Penn Manor baseball players from from the 1950s and the 1960s who would be in their 60s and even 70s now. He made roughly 200 calls to potential softball league players. But only about 10 percent actually got back to Funk to play. The other 90 percent claimed they were too out of shape. The biggest reason some of the guys could not play was because their wives didn’t want them to get hurt. But Funk still fielded a 60-year-old team that plays 21 games a season against 16 teams in the league.

Wayne in mid pitch. Photo by Jake Shiner.

Funk created a 70-year-old’s league which is in its inaugural season. There are a handful of teams in that league which also have players who are fit enough to play in both the 60-year-old league and the 70-year-old league.

Ron Brubaker, a member of the 60 and over league, has seen the better side of 60, but his dedication for the game of baseball has outweighed his health

troubles. Instead of playing in the outfield, he was limited to retrieving his teammates’ bats and balls. A bad knee originally forced him out of play, but how about when he made his return?

“Batting a thousand, Ron!” a teammate cheered after Brubaker lined a single through the left side of the infield, also batting in a runner on top of his new achievement. With a nervous smile, he slowly trotted to the bench to let a more capable runner take his place on the diamond.

An oldster turns on the jets to go to second. Photo by Jake Shiner.

His inner bench-warmer kicks in at the end of the game, he cleans up the field and lets a teammate know he may have forgotten something.

“Somebody’s glove!” he calls out.

“Young mind, old body,” Brubaker mutters about not only himself, but the group of guys around him.

By sticking with the team, he was presented with not only the opportunity to prove himself, but to also enjoy the game that

all of these players love.

“You wanna have fun but you wanna win,” explained Brubaker. Plus, “it keeps you half in shape for the grandkids.”

There were famous players at Penn Manor High School over the years, some were in the Olympics and some who played professionally- but none of them are in this league.

“Those are the kind of athletes we had,” recalled Mike Wilds. When referring to returning to softball with some of the same Penn Manor grads, Wilds added, “It’s nice to come together again 45 years later and still be able to compete.”

Well, some are able to compete.

Wilds has been sidelined because of his shoulder surgery but is looking to return soon to play with his old comrades.

Their passion shines through their wrinkles, glasses, crooked backs and slight paunches. None of that matters when they’re out playing what they have loved for many, many years.

Team Llomar makes an out against Funk's team. Photo by Jake Shiner.

“I like the game (and) exercise,” said Butch Stauffer, 73. After playing ball for Solanco in his high school years, Stauffer had to touch the tips of his fingers to the palm of his opposite hand and call for a very very long time-out because… well, it was simple, really.

“I couldn’t milk cows and play ball,” said the southern Lancaster County native, who picked up the game after a 40-some year hiatus.

In his red Willow Street uniform with the number two imprinted adjacent to his heart, a pair of glasses, a chin that sticks out with determination and a glove fitted on his left hand, Jay Wolf is one of the oldest players in the league. He’s 81 years young and a 15-year softball veteran, he’s “about ready to retire,” but one thing still keeps him in the batter’s box.

“The F-U-N,” said Wolf, who recently drove by himself to Florida for the league’s spring training. Unfortunately his 100-year-old father was unable to attend.

There are many incentives to play when you’re 10 or 20 but when your 80, sometimes it’s as simple as friendship.

“It’s just camaraderie,” said a 60s league-er, Ed Schopf.

Players, managers, coordinators – it’s all the same, well, mostly.

Mike Wilds, right talks to a fellow teammate. Photo by Jake Shiner.

“There’s competition, there’s camaraderie,” manager Norm Linhart said, adding, “They’re not only dedicated, they’re marginally stupid for being out in this heat.”

For some, dedication starts in high school, but according to one 70s-league player, he started right out of the womb.

“I came out of the cradle and I’ve been pitching (ever since)!” said Charlie Perpetual, laughing.

These players will play until they either get injured or die playing the game they love so much.

One player convinced Funk to start a 50 and over league but sadly passed away last year before he ever got the chance to play in it.

They will play as long as they are able to. They also agree that they feel blessed to just be out playing ball at their age. The fragility of life is foremost in their minds when they play. They all say they feel lucky to be playing at this age.

“(We) still think we are invincible,” stated Funk.

But in reality they go through injuries just like everyone else which is about the only thing that will make them quit.

“It would take an injury for me to quit,” agreed seventy-one year-old Mel Underwood.

“Its a bunch of sixty-some year olds wanting to be 16 again,” said Funk.

Teens will go to any Length to Smell Good

By Dayonte Dixon –

Manor Township police are asking the public for help to catch to retail thieves that are suspected of stealing two large boxes of Axe Deodorant.

Each pack is only worth five dollars yet these teens were still willing to break the law to steal multiple packs of these deodorants.

One box of deodorant can cost up to five dollars.

“It’s understandable if it’s somebody who is less fortunate and doesn’t have enough money to provide basic needs like deodorant,” said senior at Penn Manor High School Ryan Mays.

These suspects were seen shoving two large boxes of deodorant into a white trash bag and leaving the store within one minute. They then left and began walking down the block.

They walked east on Ursinus Avenue for about two blocks before a witness lost sight of them, police said.

A possible reason for this action is because teens today are more desperate to fit in and will be willing to go to further lengths to do so.

“If I’m already less fortunate I would steal it (deodorant) because why should I have to put up with the teasing of others about how I stink?” Mays said.

 

Streaks and Knights Repay Visit To Comet Field

By Matt Ulmer –

Oh no, they’re back.

Penn Manor can’t seem to get rid of their arch rivals who had their number all year. Main reason being the popularity of the field they play on.

The District III boys lacrosse championship kicked off in Hershey, Pa. last night featuring the Manheim Township Blue Streaks and the Hempfield Black Knights. Thunderstorms and a tornado watch prevented this game from actually happening. The championship was rescheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. on Comet Field.

Township All American Quint Miller winding up for a shot. Photo Cred - Heisey Lancaster Online

Comet Field held the league playoffs, and now is holding the District Championship after hosting the semi’s on Tuesday.

Fans and players voice appreciation for the seating space, concession stands, and its exquisite turf.

“We got a great facility that’s one of the best in the league,” said trainer Steve Kramer about why Comet Field was chose for the battle.

“There are enough seats for everyone,” he added.

This game has the hype to be one of the best lacrosse games all year in Pennsylvania. Township is known for their offense and if they weren’t the favorite already, they are now, seeing as Hempfield’s number one defender Josh Beals is suspended for misconduct in the semi-finals.

The Blue Streaks offense is headlined by dual All-Americans Quint Miller and Mark Stratton. Rob Wertz is also known to drop a few goals each game.

As for the Black Knights, their offense is run by All-American Michael Ondrusek and his cherished sophomore duo of Nick Valentino and Matt Senft.

PM lax player David Mohimani admits Township’s dominance is based off their 19-3 loss last Saturday.

“Townships transition game is too dominant,” explained Mohimani.

He also predicted an outcome of…Township: 18 Hempfield: 11

Simon Zimmerman, a junior at Penn Manor and loyal fan, said the game would be Township: 12 Hempfield: 6

Athletic Director Jeff Roth went the same route choosing a Township: 14 Hempfield: 7

Well the picks obviously lean towards one side, but who knows what will happen, Comet Field has had a few big upsets before.

 

Budget Deficit Faces School Board

By Storm Kelley and Jennifer Felegi –

The Penn Manor School Board discussed a possible tax increase of 1.64 percent at its May meeting to fund the 2011-12 school year expenses but did not vote on a specific increase.

District business manager Christopher Johnston opened the school board meeting, asking for approval for  placement of 2011-12 proposed budget with expenditures totaling $64,423,313, to be placed on the voting agenda.

Penn Manor School Board. Courtesy of Penn Manor District web site

One school board member predicted that tougher years are ahead.

On Sept. 10, 2010, the state published the tax index at 1.7 percent as the ceiling for a tax increase for Penn Manor.

If a 1.64 percent property tax increase is enacted, Johnston, said a property assessed at a value of $100,000 may see a $23 increase in school taxes.

The proposed budget includes the elimination of ten positions through retirement and/or resignation. Some of the budget cuts include; transportation services, building budgets, cuts to the athletic budget, maintenance budget, technology budget.  The district is currently looking at ways to cut down on energy consumption, insurance, and charter school subsidies.

Mr. Johnston says there has been loss of federal funding and moral support, stating “What’s gone is gone and its not coming back.”

The budget will be finalized at the June 20, 2011 meeting.

The meeting continued with Technology Director, Charlie Reisinger’s proposal to lower copying costs for the district, by using less paper. The districts current contract is with Ikon.

The current contract provides 49 copiers, 4 colored units and unlimited prints. The district pays $15,560 for 1.7 million copies. There are six new proposals, however, Ikon presented the best deal, with a new contract stating; 49 copiers, 10 colored units, and 1.5 million copies for $9,842 per month with a service charge of about half a penny for every extra copy.

Reisinger’s goal was to save one teacher salary. Mr. Reisinger encourages duplex printing (back and front page) with his new code system.

Mr. Carlton Rintz, a Penn manor school board member said, this is a “great step at reducing costs, but we need to reduce copies,” and that this is “just a baby step.”

Mr. Gale was at the meeting to explain graduation plans which will be held at F&M College.

Some students and families may not know but the past four years of graduation have been held inside Penn Manor because of rain.  It is very crammed inside and extremely hot.

“The best thing I saw [at F&M] were the large vents on the ceiling,” Mr Gale joked referring to how much an improvement graduation ceremonies will be with air conditioning.

Not only would it be cooler in F&M but it would also be cheaper since Hempfield is using F&M for graduation the next day.

A man from the community must not have understood what Mr. Gale was saying because he stood up and asked, “Why is it taking place at F&M when it’s been at Millersville every year?”

Mr. Gale responded by explaining again how the cost is cheaper and also there would be more room for families.

The only problem Mr. Gale mentioned was parking but he told everyone that school will be out so the campus will have a lot of parking available along with the side of the roads.

This is the first year for graduation to take place somewhere different.

 

 

 

Puppies for Steal?

By Simon Zimmerman –

Stealing a candy bar or even a bracelet might be tolerated, but a dog? Now that’s crossing the line.

A woman and five other companions reportedly stole a 6-month old beagle from the Humane League of Lancaster County on Monday, but was then returned on Thursday into the safety of the shelter.

Surveillance cameras shot the woman and her followers looking through their choice of puppies until they finally found their victim, a beagle puppy with a existing eye condition that may or may not require medical attention.

After noticing that the dog was not in it’s kennel or on the property at all for that matter, staff members checked the video cameras and reported the crime.

Footage picked up from the surveillance cameras at the Humane League. Photo Courtesy of humaneleague.com

The crime is being handled by East Lampeter Township Police very seriously and carefully.

Through examination of the surveillance camera, Police and staff members were shocked at what they saw.

“We were amazed when we went back and watched the video footage and saw the woman clearly removing a leash from the merchandise display and going back to get the dog,” said Becki Meiss, director of marketing for the League.

This footage was not only shocking but it was also very upsetting to Meiss and all of the League’s staff members.

“Our staff and volunteers are all very upset, we would just like to have the dog returned safely to the shelter,” added Meiss.

Hunter is the dog’s name. He is a male beagle mix puppy who has not been neutered. His coat is black, tan, and white and he weighs between 20 and 30 pounds.

When the puppy was returned on Thursday the shelter was very grateful to have to puppy back in their hands.

No charges were filed against the woman who stole the puppy, reportedly because she could not afford the adoption fee.

Lady Gaga Crashes Amazon Servers with new Album

By Sarah Schaeffer –

Lady Gaga is known for creating surprise and disbelief among her fan base, but this time she’s really done it.

Gaga’s new album, “Born This Way,” was released Monday after months of anticipation, available in both downloadable and CD form.

Unbeknown to the many fans who pre-ordered Gaga’s album, Amazon offered a one-day sale of the MP3 album for only 99 cents as compared to iTunes’ $11, where most people buy their music.

Natalie Dell'Estate listens to Lady Gaga's new album. Photo by Sarah Schaeffer

On top of the surprise sale, customers were even more surprised and disappointed when the massive sales stalled the entire Amazon server, which recently implemented a “Cloud Drive” service, allowing users to store files on the internet.

Smartly, Amazon promised the despaired users to get them their album for the same 99 cent price when the server started up again.

Regardless of the technical difficulties, Penn Manor students still managed to get their Gaga.

“I pre-ordered [the album] in March from Borders or Barnes and Noble because that’s where it was cheapest,” said junior and Gaga fan Natalie Dell’Estate, who has listened to parts of the album more than once already.

“I got [the album] on iTunes the day it came out,” said junior Mike Nitroy. “I was mad because I payed full price and then found out it was 99 cents on Amazon.”

As far as the quality of the much sought after album, the reviews are mixed.

“I really like her music. It just makes me want to dance. When you actually listen to her sing, she’s actually talented,” said Dell’Estate. “This CD is different from her first, it has a lot of electric/techno/80’s inspirations.”

“I listened to it all at once and it’s just okay. Some of it’s weird,” said Nitroy.

Senior Eric Bear downloaded “Born This Way” immediately and loves it, even playing the album aloud on a field trip.

The Hangover Part II Review *Spoiler*

By Alex Geli –

Yes, you may be coming from a math final and a trip to the nurse to get some Advil for your headache, but here’s another equation for you:

The Hangover, plus a drug dealing monkey, minus Zach Galifianakis’ hair, plus a new tattoo, minus one-fifth of a human hand, equals the much anticipated sequel to the top grossing comedy of all time.

The Hangover Part II.

Stu (Helms) realizing the tattoo on his face is permanent. Photo from thehangoverquotes.com

When the clock struck midnight on Thursday, May 26, the wolfpack was officially at it again. This time, though, they really dug themselves into an even deeper hole.

Phil, played by Bradley Cooper, had a similar conversation with Tracy, wife of Justin Bartha’s character, Doug, who is played by Sarah Baresse, as in the first Hangover in the beginning of the second.

Phil:  “Tracy, I’m sorry.”

Tracy:  “Where the (heck) are you?”

Phil:  (sigh) “It happened again.”

Tracy:  “Don’t say that.”

Phil:  “No, this time we really (messed) up.”

Tracy:  “What the (heck) is wrong with you three?”

Phil:  “So much ‘Trace,’ I don’t even know where to begin.”

Well, Phil, to help jog your memory, the night all begins around a campfire in Thailand where Stu, played by Ed Helms. With a couple bags of marshmallows, thanks to the regrettably invited Alan, played by Galifianakis, the wolfpack plus Teddy, Stu’s soon-to-be goody good brother-in-law who is played by Mason Lee, are just enjoying a few drinks and relaxing.

By the time the night was over, Alan got a haircut, Stu got a tattoo, Phil was sweaty…, Teddy lost a finger, they lost Teddy and they were visited by an old friend.

Ken Jeong, who played Mr. Chow in the first Hangover, was back and ready for round two:  less furious and more profane, party-happy, making dirty jokes and using drugs. To think the real-life Jeong is actually a certified doctor is dumbfounding. Although he returned to the sequel, it didn’t take long for him to end up in an ice box with no heart rate due to OD-ing on cocaine.

Phil (Cooper) trying to realize what just happened the night before. Photo from thehangoverquotes.com

The waking up scene was similar to the first Hangover, with an additional cockroach.

Phil awakens, drenched in his own sweat, only to be greeted by Alan who tumbles off  the bunk bed and lands on the floor with a big, “THUD!” They venture around the room – a room which they have no idea how or when they got in – and find, not a tiger, but Stu in the bathroom, facing the opposite way. A moan and a shift of the body later, Stu is faced with his new friend on the right side of his face:  a tattoo similar to the one on boxer Mike Tyson.

“You’re going to freak out, but it’s going to be okay,” Phil said to him, not really helping the situation at all.

The tattoo is not the only new friend that the wolfpack met in that instance. A monkey with a Rolling Stones jacket on was also found in the vacant hotel room.  After a scuffle on what is exactly under a blanket on the floor, it turns out to be Chow. The crowd was certainly pleased by the reappearance of the rather comfortable-with-his-body character.

There was one problem as they did a head count. Teddy was gone. The only evidence and remains from the scene was his finger still harnessed by his crimson Stanford University ring lying in a bucket of water.

Lots of “Oh my God!’s,” “What is going on?!’s” and “What the (bleep)!’s” occurred throughout the movie – for good reason.

After waking up, they take a wild ride on the find-what-the-heck-happened-last-night train, stopping at places like a police station, a monastery that Alan compares to “a P.F. Chang’s,” a club and ultimately ending up in a boat on dry ground, thanks to the great driving of “fat Jesus.”

Alan (Galifianakis). One minute he's an angry, marshmallow-spiking fiend, the next he's an innocent, bearded monkey-lover.

The Hangover Part II’s main course consisted of raunchiness, comedy, drugs, a side of nudity and Tiramike Tyson – clever, I know – for dessert, just like the first one. In fact, reviews around the internet and among students here at Penn Manor say that the sequel is just like part I, just in another location:  Bangkok, Thailand.

I can’t blame them for making basically the same movie because, well, it worked the first time so why not do it again?

This is what made the first one successful and will surely do the same for the second:  a toast followed by a crazy night, waking up with animals made more for the jungle than a hotel room, not remembering what they did, where they did it and with whom they did it with, losing a friend, going to search for the friend, then finally rushing to a wedding with [hopefully (watch and find out)] the correct number of people and ending off with another highlight reel of R-rated photos while the credits role and Flo Rida serenades you with his rapping.

You can thank Stu for inviting Alan and who, as a result, gets drugged for a second time and leads them to a very eventful day attempting to grasp the fact that this night actually happened… again.

“All I wanted was a bachelor brunch,” Stu said.

Genetic Sports Testing starts on the Playground

By Zach Campbell –

Is the theory true? Can genetic sports testing actually effect your son or daughter and their sports in the future?

According to an article in the NY Times, “The test’s goal is to determine whether a person would be best at speed and power sports like sprinting or football, or endurance sports like distance running, or a combination of the two.

A 2003 study discovered the link between ACTN3 and those athletic abilities.”

Can genetic testing get kids into the "right" sport?

Willie Chalfant a local soccer star stated, “Heck no I wouldn’t get my mouth swabbed for $149. I know what sport I’m good at and I’ll just work hard to do it.”

The New York Times also stated, “In this era of genetic testing, DNA is being analyzed to determine predispositions to disease, but experts raise serious questions about marketing it as a first step in finding a child’s sports niche, which some parents consider the road to a college scholarship or a career as a professional athlete.”

Atlas Sports Genetics in Boulder, Colo., provides genetic testing to identify sports strengths.  For $1,000 parents can test their children for genetic traits, along with testing for vertical and broad jump skills and a timer for speed and agility. The website offers testimonials from those who have used their services.

But what about political and ethical issues related to this testing? Athletes must consider both along with their own set of values. What if a child tests strongly in a certain sport but doesn’t enjoy it? Do parents continue to push their children into a sport that they didn’t have a passion for or maybe that they don’t even like sports.

Technology sometimes outpaces moral values. Just because you can do something doesn’t make it right.

Penn Manor Girls Lacrosse

By Simon Zimmerman-

It’s now or never.

The Penn Manor girls lacrosse team will take on Cumberland Valley at Lower Dauphin High School tonight at 5 p.m.

Under the leadership of Coach Jim Miller and team captains Maddy Hess, Caroline Lovett and Alicia Burns, the Comet girl laxer’s have performed their way to a 17-4 record. All four losses have come from the Comet’s arch rival, Manheim Township, who have been the team’s poison this season.

“I have been very proud of my players this season, they have worked very hard and have the record to prove it,” said Miller.

The girls need this win to move onto states or they will face elimination and the end of their season.

Penn Manor defender attempts to get possession of ground ball. Photo courtesy of http://www.hutchgraphics.com/

For some Penn Manor seniors, this could be their last game under the bright lights of a lacrosse field ripping twine for the pride of the Comet’s girls lacrosse organization.

Although this could be their last game, the seniors and captains are very confident.

“I am very excited because I know we will win, the possibility of losing hasn’t even crossed mine or my team’s minds,” said senior co-captain Caroline Lovett.

In the result of a win, the girls would travel across the state to Pittsburgh for their first round of states where they would play High School teams out of the Pittsburgh region of the state.

The thought of the long distance burden of traveling to Pittsburgh might defuse some players ambitions to take the title of state champions, for others, it will only add to the flame.

“The teams that will be playing in the Pittsburgh region will be lower ranked, so we will have a greater opportunity to win at least the first two games of states,” Said Junior Defensive player Megan Schlegemilch.

The thought of making it to states may excite the team, but all of their focus is on tonight and getting the W.