Smoke SignalsNovember 24, 2008 • volume 40 • issue 01 • Peters towNshiP high school

BEYOND THE BUBBLE SPOTLIGHT:

THE GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOOD BANK

– page 4

feat

ures

spor

ts

new

s

opin

ionCROSS COUNTRY SEASON

RUNS ON TRADITION– page 11

PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA TAKES OFFICE,

MAKES HISTORY – page 3

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN PITTSBURGH

– page 9

InsIde

pt fundraising altered By

state policy

Four PTHS juniors wererecently selected to participate intheWestinghouseScienceHonorsInstitute.ThecourseconsistsofaseriesoflecturesheldonSaturdaymornings,withtopicsrangingfrommeteorology and putting humanson Mars, to using human fat asa source of stem cells. After anintense application process, EricaSchwotzer, Claire LaRosa, BenGauthier,andJuliaGirouardwerethe lucky applicants chosen toattendthisprogram.

“All of the speakers arevery qualified and known in their field for their subject,” said junior Erica Schwotzer. “For the lectureonknee injuriesand repairing theACL,Dr.FreddieFuwillcomeandspeak. I’m very excited to attend–mydadhadthekindofinjurythatDr. Fu is famous for masterfullyrepairing.” Inordertoapply,studentshadtocompleteanapplicationform,aswellaswritea100-wordessaytobe turned into the guidance office. Junior Ben Gauthier said, “It’s a

students selected for westinghouse Honors institute

greatthingtohaveonarésumé,andI know that I’ll enjoy myself, too.” Participants were alsoable to attend a special field trip to the nuclear reactor at Penn StateUniversity after the lecture onnuclearpowerandengineering.Byparticipating, the students were able to interactandsocializewithpeersoutside of their school that shared

thesameinterestsastheydid. “I know that anything Ilearn in this program will helpme narrow down what field of medicine and science I want toeventually pursue as a career,and having fun along the wayis certainly the way to go,” said Schwotzer.

Sprung up from concerns over thelack of nutritional value present in the averageSarrischocolate-coveredpretzel,newstandardsare now in place to encourage the selling ofproducts dubbed as healthier alternatives. Fruit andcheese,naturally low fat pretzels, specialtyshaped pastas, boxes of citrus fruits, and bottled water with a PTHS label are some of the options suggested by the School District Administration.

“I love chocolate and other candy,” said District Superintendent Dr. Nina Zetty, “but because some students, especially in the middle school and high school may not eat breakfast, we as a township should be able to provide them with somethinghealthythatcangivethemtherightkindof energy, rather than a sugar rush. Researchhas proven that students who grab a piece of fruit rather than a candy bar perform better in class,ontests,andinafterschoolactivities.WeteachclasseslikeHealthandPersonalWellness,and need to start practicing what we preach.” Zetty supervises PetersTownship’s district-wideapproach to follow the guidelines set by the state ofPennsylvania topromotepropernutritionandphysical fitness.

The Board is also proposing alternativefundraisers such as Bowl-a-Thons, Fun-Runs,and horseshoe competitions in an effort topromote healthy physical activity. As far asmaterial fundraisers are concerned, Boardmembers suggest first-aid kits, bath accessories, and cookbooks for easy and healthy after-school snacks.

“This is only one of the many aspectsthat will be changing to reflect the state’s new nutritional standards.” said Zetty, “A few years ago, soda machines were stocked with flavored water and fruit drinks, replacing more sugary drinks.That was another aspect of the Wellness Plan.ThePlandoesnotlimitthesellingofcandyitemsoutsideofschool–itisthein-schoolenvironmentthat it focuses on.”

WhiletheSchoolBoardandotherDistrictAdministrators are optimistic about the transition fromjunkfoodtohealthysnacks,manystudentsare reported as being uneasy to the change. “We should be able to choose what we eat,” said sophomoreAndyShope,“Weshouldmakethosechoices – not the state.”

Throughthesellingoffoodduringschoolthrough fundraisers is still permitted, all saleswill be restricted until at least thirty minutes after the last lunch period. All fundraisingprojects must still be submitted for district approval–meaningtheymustpassthroughtheprincipal’s office as well as be reviewed by the school board. Any questions concerning the new fundraising policy, nutritional standards, oractivity guidelines, visit the district web page at http://www.ptsd.k12.pa.us/index.php.

andrea Briggs

Assistant editor

renée wunderlich

editor -in-chief

Lefttoright:EricaSchwotzer,JuliaGirouard,BenGauthier,andClaireLaRosa

Congratulations pt Boys and Girls soccer! Great season!

PhotosBy:StephanieNitschmannandKelseyHoskins

PhotoBy:CaseyDunleavy Photo By: Amber Doerr

December 20081

NO SCHOOL

2 31973: NASA’s Pioneer sends

images of Jupiter

4 5 6

7

Pearl Harbor 1941

8

National Brownie Day

9 10 11 12

Frank Sinatra Born 1915

13

14 15 16Slavery

Abolished

17 18 National BakeCookies Day

19 201988: NBC

signs lease to stay in NYC for

33 years

21HANUKKAH

begins at sundown

Winter Begins

22

NO SCHOOL

23

NO SCHOOL

24

NO SCHOOL

25

NO SCHOOLCHRISTMAS

26

NO SCHOOL

27

28 29NO SCHOOLHANUKKAH

ends at sundown

30

NO SCHOOL

31

NO SCHOOLNEW YEAR’S

EVE

SmokeSignalsisproduced

eighttimesduringaschoolyearby the students of Media II, III, IVJournalismandextracurricu-larstaffatPetersTowshipHighSchool,264E.McMurrayRoad,

McMurrayPA15317.Tele-phone:724-941-6250x.5379.

E-mail:sitlern@pt-sd.org.Commentaries,reviews,andopinioncolumnsaretheex-

pressedopinionoftheauthorandnotofSmokeSignals,its

advisororthePetersTownshipSchool District. Member of the

PennsylvaniaSchoolPressAssociation.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRenée Wunderlich

ASSISTANT EDITORAndrea Briggs

LAYOUT EDITOREmily Correal

MANAGING EDITORKatie Ellis

NEWS EDITOR

Stephanie Cotugno

FEATURES EDITORSDana Hoelle

Bridget Stasenko

OPINION EDITOREmily Estep

SPORTS EDITORTaylor Relich

MARKETING EDITORSShelby Miller Paige Burris

STAFF WRITERSGabrielle Brinsky, Amy

Burzotta, Averi Clements, Conor Jackson, Ian Jack-

son, Colleen Lugar, Monica Paterra, Kaitlyn Richert,

Matt Schilling, Matt Sikora, Bethany Suchy

LAYOUT TEAMShelby Miller, Paige Burris,

Taylor Miller

ADVISORMrs. Sitler

Smoke SignalS

reference� November 24, 2008 Smoke Signals

Courtesy of www.mrbaxter.com

SudokuDirections

Fillinthegridsothat every row,every column,and every 3x3box contains the digits 1 through9. The grid is9x9,soalldigitsappearonlyonetime on everyrow,columnandin every box of 3x3.

23 24 25 26

NO SCHOOL

27 28

NO SCHOOLBlack Friday

29

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

30National

“Stay Home Because You’re

Well” DayNovember 2008

what in the world...?“It’s a hard knock life for us!” German inmate Hans Lang took a page out of Annie and hid himself in a box of dirty laundry in order to escape jail. The box was then packaged and loaded onto a FedEx truck. At the next stop, Lang tore himself out of the box, picked the lock, and escaped into the nearby woods. A spokesman in charge of the group hunting the criminal said, “It’s the kind of thing people think only happens in films – but in this case, it’s very real.”

A dying dog in East Finchley, London had his life restored by a very unusual drug – Viagra. After lungworm spread to one ofBently-the-dog’sheartartery,ownerDavidRoachrushedhispoochtothevet.VeterinarianBenHarrisadministeredthe drug to relax the blood vessels and, luckily, it worked. Bently will now have to use Viagra for the rest of his life, though itwillnothavethesameeffectonhimthatitwouldonahuman.

The restoration of First Churches in Northampton’s 180-year-old pipe organ has been delayed indefinitely because four delicate pipes have been damaged. The pieces were damaged after a homeless man mistook the pipes to be rolled-up rugs and preceded to take a nap. The damage he caused is estimated to be about $15,000, but the church will not press charges.Halloween’s come a little late this year for an elderly woman who has been living with two skeletons and one badly decomposed body of her siblings for at least twenty years. Authorities discovered the remains in covered in sheets in various parts of the Evanston, Illinois home, but do not suspect any foul play. The woman, whose name has not been released to the public, has been taken into a facility for care, and autopsies will be performed on the bodies as quickly as possible.

Compiled by Katie Ellis

news �November 24, 2008 Smoke Signals

As the final curtain of the 2008presidential electioncloses, the future ofAmerica will be in the hands of the man whowill be our new president: Barack Obama. The young and charismaticpolitician from Illinoissteps into the WhiteHouse with only onemission– change. Hismotives have been questionable among citizens,astheywonderif the concept of fighting forchangeissomethingthe country is ready toaccomplish. However,themajorityofstudentswho voted for Obama on November 4believe that this election willhave a positive impacton their generation. ”I believe Obama was the right choice because he understands that weneed change. Our‘trickle down’ theoryhasn’t worked in thepast, and personally, Idon’t think it will now,” stated junior DevanVachon.Althoughmorethanthreefourthsofhighschoolstudentsweren’t

old enough to vote,many held preferencetoonecandidateintheelection.Regardlessofwhether or not somestudents could vote,many held colossalbeliefs that determined their personal opinion.

What’s better than watchinghistoryunfold?Being a part of it. Thepositive message ofcampaign ads causedyoung citizens to vote.The popular YouTube video, “Five Friends,” features celebrities directingtheimportanceof voting to conceptssuch as ,global warming, financial disasters, healthcare, education,

transition to power, transition to Change

Chemists’ Glowing accomplishment

Thetypicalteenagerlovesmusic,whetherthey’re blasting it through headphones or in a car. Of course, everyone’s favorite genre of musicdiffers according to his or her own personality.Wouldn’t it be nice to have the ability and talent to makeyourownmusic?Wellwhynotsupporttheones who can, who are brave enough to go on stageandperform.

There are multiple bands that participate; our school is lucky enough to have a band that participatesinBattleoftheBands.Itisaneventthat’s put together to encourage students fromdifferent high schools to attend. The bands that comeplaytogainthewinnerstitle.Eachschoolhas a chance to host the battle of the bands. The last event was October 13, held at PTHS cafeteria. “I went to support my friend’s band, and didn’t expect it to be that exciting,” sophomore RachelBelackremarked.

Band members are given a total of 40 tickets to sell to their peers. The price is five dollarsinadvance,andeightdollarsatthedoor.The event usually sells out and the cafeteria ispacked. Peter’s band is called PITA. “We came up with the name PITA before we started the band. It stands for Pancakes In The Afterlife;” said senior band member Adam Meyers.

Members of PITA include Meyers, Keith Quinn, Trevor Oliver, and Jake Locke. The lasteventsoldt-shirtsandhadaDJ.Theyperformedonastageandencouragedthecrowdtocheer.“Iwas really pumped about the crowd’s participation; three kids got broken limbs, no one saw that one coming,” commented senior Keith Quinn. When the results were eventually revealed, they wereproudtohearthatPITAcameoutontop.Butwhowill become victorious on December 30th?

Backstage passGabrielle Brinsky

staff writer

LastsummeratHiltonHeadIsland,juniorSeanBerry was stung by a jellyfish. Berry had inadver-tently swam into the middle of a jellyfish pond, which led the 16 year old in aching pain. The jellyfish had stungBerryonhisankle,whichlefthimwithmanydarkredlinesaroundthewound.Thewoundstungat first, and then became itchy to Berry who had to endurethestingingpainuntilthewoundhealedafew days later. “I am not afraid of jellyfish,” stated Berry, “But it was definitely a scary experience.”

On October 8, 2008, Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, and Roger Y. Tsien won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP. GFP was first observed in a remarkable brightly glowing jellyfish, Aequorea victoriain1962.Sincethe discovery of the protein, GFP has become oneof themost important tools in contemporary

bioscience. The acid of GFP has been used by researcherstodevelopwaystowatchprocessesthat were previously invisble like how cancer cells are spread by making cells organs, and tissues light up. The two American scientists, Tsien and Chalfie, and the one Japanese scientist, Shimomura,were presented with the award for the initialdiscoveryofGFP,whichhashelped researchersusetheproteinasaglowingmarkertowatchthemovements,interactions,andpositionsofdifferentproteins.WiththehelpofGFP,researchershavebeen able to look into specific diseases like the damageofnervecellsduringAlzheimer’sdisease,or how insulin-producing beta cells are created in the pancreas of a growing embryo. “It’s fascinating tothinkofhowfarwehavecomeintheworldofscienceoverthecenturies.Whatthesescientistsdid was truly an amazing accomplishment,” stated

juniorCarlyHancherick.Together, the three scientists brought

together their talented skills to discover theprotein and successfully accomplish their goal.Shimomura first isolated GFP from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria. Then, Chalfie demonstrated the value of GFP as a genetic tag for variousbiological phenomenas. Finally, Tsien contributed to thegeneralunderstandingofhowGFPglows.He also extended the color palette beyond green allowingresearcherstogivevariousproteinsandcells different colors, which enables scientists to follow several different biological processes at the sametime.Thethreewillsharenotonlyatitleinhistory, but 1.4 million dollar prize. “This is all really cool, because jellyfish sting thousands of people every year, but they have the ability to help save millions,” stated senior Jack Hareza.

stephanie Cotugno

News editor

Kaitlyn richert

staff writer

socialsecurity,andtheirfuture. The video alsostresses that by voting, one can make aneffective impact in ourcountry’s development.Afterviewingthevideo,theyemphasizesendingthe link to five friends,

so the message may be p a s s e d o n .Influential campaign ads such as “Five Friends” have ultimately helpedthe number of young voters multiply. Thisyear,anestimated22to24millionyoungpeoplevotedinthiselection,anincreaseinturnoutofatleast 2.2 million overthe2004election.Whileyoungcitizenssaw the

2008 election as animmediate opportunityfor a change in theentirenation, theyalsoconcludedhowitwouldgreatlyaffect theirowngeneration.Thiselectionwill impacteveryone insome way, but students areconcernedwithhowthe election will affectthe cost of education,aswellastheeconomy.These concepts areessential to consider,since many studentswill soon be entering college or venturingout into the job market. Points such as thesewereprerequisiteswhenstudents determinedwhichcandidateshould

receivetheirvote. T h e 2 0 0 8election will undoubtedly go down in history,not only for obvious reasons, but also because this was the first election that reachedout and grabbed young Americans’ attention.As the final decision was made, Americawelcomes their new,confident leader in playing a role in thechangeinAmerica.

– Barack Obama

“America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for this country that we love.”

features� November 24, 2008 Smoke Signals

speakout

“Heneedstoworkonattainingworld

peace”

- Eric Zalewski Senior

“Obviously, the economyneedsto

improve .”

- Zoltan Latinovich Junior

“Heneedstomaketheeconomy

better.”

- Sara Cavolo Sophomore

“Theeconomyneeds to be reformed.”

- Nicole Monti Freshman

w H a t s H o u l d oBama’s numBer-one priority Be onCe He taKes

offiCe?

Beyond the Bubble: Greater pittsburgh Community food Bankrenée wunderlich

Assistant editor

This month, we focus on TheGreater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (GPCFB), a non-profit organization fights against hunger by providing food for the less fortunate. The Food Bankparticipates in food pantries, shelters,after-school programs, soup kitchensemergency-related food stations, andMeals on Wheels. Through the selfless dedication of Board members, staff, and volunteers, GPCFB is able to serve an estimated18millionpoundsoffoodperyeartothelessfortunate.TheFoodBankis also a member of Feeding America, thenation’sleadingcharityorganizationforhunger-relief.

Sadly, 11.6% of all Pennsylvaniaresidents live in poverty (2007 AmericanCommunitySurvey,USCensus).Thereare16.4%ofchildren18andunderinAlleghenythat live in poverty. And because junk food costs more than ten times less thanhealthyfood,themajorityofthoseeighteenand under in poverty-stricken homesare suffering from poor health, involvinginadequate nutrition and developmentalcomplications.(Children’sSentinelNutritionAssessment Program (C-SNAP) February 2007 report “Food Stamps as Medicine” http://doc2.bumc.bu.edu/csnappublic/)

When it comes to the world ofmodern food banking, opportunities to

contribute to GPCFB are growing through the web. There is now a Virtual Drive, located on the organization’s website, where monetary donators can contribute directly to thetypesoffood/suppliestheywishtogive(ex. $13.00 may be donated specifically for buying peanut butter). The organization also holds multiple events on a monthly basis, includingdrives,auctions,andevenregularSteelersevents.

To volunteer for the GreaterPittsburgh Community Food Bank, log on to http://www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/ to join themailing list,emaila localvolunteercoordinator,ororganizea fooddonation toendhungerinSouthwesternPennsylvania.

monica paterra

staff writer

text messaging Hazards

tough medicine for tough acneBridget stasenko

Features editor

Acne is a problem that most teenagers struggle with. It can be embarrassing and can leave long term scaring.Isufferfromacne,andhavetriedevery face wash, antibiotic, and topical cream out there, but nothing worked. My doctor finally suggested one last option: the controversialacnedrug,Accutane.Ihaveonly been on Accutane a couple of months but it has already been a roller coaster. First, myskincompletelydriedout.Then,Igotasevere rashall overmyarms, forcing metotakeanothermedicine totreat therash.My skin cleared up at first, but then some acne returned. My dermatologist saidmyskin was going to get worse before it got better. Hopefully, I will start seeing major improvements by the end of next month.

Accutaneisanoralacnemedicinepeopletakewhentheyhavesevereacne,andisnothingmorethanvitaminA.Ithelpsreducetheoilinyourskinallowingtheskintorenewitselfmorequickly.AdoctormaysuggestAccutaneaftertopicalcreamsandother antibiotics prove to be unsuccessful. For clear skin, the drug is usually taken

for four to six months. So why is thismedicinesocontroversial?

InordertoreceiveanAccutanetreatment,you have to go through asystemcalledIPLEDGE.Thisprogramis designedregulate Accutaneanduse it in the safest way possible. The IPLEDGE system requiresfemalepatients to go on a form of birth control, answer questions monthly online, andhavetwoformsofpregnancytestsdone.Both males and females must haveblood work taken every month. After all of these requirements are completed,thedoctor is thenallowed towrite theprescription. The prescription must be pickedupwithinsevendays,oryouwillhavetowaituntilthenextmonthtostartthe treatment. If youmiss adosethenyou have to wait until the next dayto take it as to not overdose on themedication. Ifanoverdosedoesoccurseekemergencyhelpimmediately.

The reason Accutanecausesfear in users is due to its severe sideeffects. The biggest concern is that

Accutane causes life-threatening birth defectsifthepatientshouldgetpregnantwhile taking the medicine. A baby’s ears, face, eyes, skull, heart and brain can be affectedinjustonedose.Thedoctorsandthe IPLEDGE program stress this point.Other side effects to the patient includehives, difficulty breathing, depression, severe dryness, blurred vision, hearing loss, fast heart rate, hallucinations,seizures,andseverestomachpain.

While on Accutance, patientsshould not give blood. If they do give blood and a pregnant woman happens to receive the blood, it could cause birth defects to her child. Accutane patientsshouldavoidsunlight,waxing,andtakingvitaminsupplements that includeVitaminA. Accutaneis a potentiallydangerousmedication, but it has an 80% success rate.Everypatientrespondsdifferentlytothe drug, but some users start to notice a differenceafter a couple of weeks.Accutane is a tough medicine, but it can cleartoughacne.

Most people agree that life without electronics would be very difficult. Since the 1980s, technology has been booming and taken over a BIG part of American culture, transforming the typical American’s way of life. One of the biggest means of communicating today is a little hand-held device known as a cell phone. The advent of the cell phone soon led to another form of communication known as text messaging. Although this way of communicating with friends may seem fun and hassle-free, using it at the wrong place and time comes with consequences. The state of California is considering banning the use of cell phones while driving a vehicle. “We have had far too many tragic incidents around the country that are painful proof that this is a terrible problem,” stated California senator Joe Simitian, in a recent New York Times article. Residents of California are now required to use a hands-free device while in conversation behind the wheel. Ever since phones were transformed into portable

instant messaging devices, the number of messages sent worldwide has increased into the billions. According to the Cellular Telephone Industries Association, in June of this year, approximately 75 billion text messages were sent in the United States alone, compared to 7.2 billion in 2005. Researchers believe that texting while in the course of another activity can cause injury. Hospitals are treating more patients flowing into the emergency rooms from cell phone related accidents, such as head injuries resulting from car crashes.

Research was recently conducted by Nielsen Mobile, which kept track of 50,000 phone accounts. They concluded that Americans sent out more text messages than phone calls, 357 to 204. In today’s society, text messaging seems to take precedent over phone calls.

Because texting has become a major aspect of communication, it is beginning to interfere with safety. Although cell phones may be an easy way out to making a call, accidents can always happen with the touch of a button.

�November 2008

Smoke Signalsfeatures

FA

sh

ion

Winter Wearamy Burzotta

staff writer

Astheseasonschange,sodoesfashion. If you remember these three things when you’re shopping, you’ll be stayingwarmandstilllookinggreat.

1. Signature Scarves When the temperature feelslike it’s negative 10 degrees, allanyone wants to do it bundle up in their warmest attire, purchasing thatsignaturescarfcanhelpdothat.Sotryascarfifyouhaveaplainsweaterandneedsomethingtospiceituporyou’rejustattemptingtokeepwarm.Popularstylesincludeanimalprints,anddarkercolors such as a deep pinks and blues. Sold at numerous stores includingH&M,Forever21,andDelia’s,ascarfisamusthaveforallofthecoldnightswehaveaheadofus.2. Stylish Sweater Vests A plain sweater in a gorgeouscolor is a definite must have. But you may need to make is a bit more interesting; this can be done by adding a sweater vest over top. There arecountlessstylesandpatternstochosefromincludingargyle,checkered,deepv-necks, or bold colors. Add a little zest toyourplainsweaterwithavest.3. Beautiful, Big-Collared Sweaters When going out for a fun nightthis winter, we all obviously want to look cute but still stay warm. A sweater with a big collar is the perfect fit. A stylish big collar is a must have look with beautiful shades such as crèmes andmaroons.Addyourowntouchwitha bracelet or necklace, and then you’re readytogooutandhaveagoodtimewithyourfriends.

Keepthesethreetrendsinmindwhen

Now that the first nine weeks have passed, most students have become acquainted with the rules of the school.Unfortunately, one of the most overlookedparts of the handbook deals with the dress code, and it’s time for a refresher course.However,withtheever-changingfashionsoftoday,whatisastyle-savvystudenttodo? While it might be autumn now, the weather is steadily getting colder. Youwouldn’t wear mile-high shorts and bare yourshouldersinthemiddleofasnowstorm,would you?Youalsowouldn’twear them inschool, according to thedress code.Shortsand skirts must be fingertip length, and for the guys,muscleshirtsareano-go.

Torn jeans or shorts aren’t allowed,and pants that are not properly securedabout the waist are not acceptable. (And really, gentlemen, is that difficult to wear a belt correctly?) We don’t want to see your

andrea Briggs

Assistant editor

dress Code daze

underpants, no matter how adorable the plaid boxers may be. As far as girls are concerned, visible bra straps and other unmentionables are prohibited as well. Excessive cleavage or other clothingdeemed to be immodest will also require youtomakeaquickchangeintosomethingalittlemoreappropriate.

Sowithall theserestrictions,whatcanyouwear?Aslongasit’snotsomethingyouwouldn’twearinfrontofyourgrandma,you should be okay. Long pants are always in fashion,and if it truly is toohot towearthem, Bermuda/cargo shorts and knee-length skirts are wonderful substitutes… if they’re all in one piece. Lightweightcardigans or zip-up sweaters can easilycover up bra strap slips and keep you warm, and hoodies are the perfect way to showsupportforaschoolorganization.

ThanksgivingBreakisalmosthere!ButafterallthatHalloweencandywasconsumedit could be hard to resist all the temptations a Thanksgiving feast brings us. We all know candy is bad for us, but you have to realize that a typical Thanksgiving meal could be just as destructive.Anaveragepersoneatsroughly4,500caloriesperdayduringthisholiday.Thisis nearly double our calorie needs compared to a usual day. Did you know it would take over forty miles of walking to burn that all off? Yes, you get your servings of vegetables from your green beans and high intake of protein from all that turkey, but you might be more hesitant for a second helping once informed about the calorie and fat content. Our bodies will be thanking usforlaterifwechoosetopayattentiontothenutritionalfactsnow. As far as serving sizes goes, feel free to try everything, but keep the pies, sweet drinks, and heavy cream-based dishes to a minimum. These foods are simply empty calories, and will not keep you full long enough. This could lead to going back for more leftovers than you would like. The nutrients that keep you full are the amount of protein and fiber inside food. Protein can be found in turkey, beans and nuts. Fiber provides you with sustained energy and a sufficient amount of nutrients, and can be found in green vegetables, carrots, and oats. When filling your plate, try to have more vegetables and protein packed foods to fill up on rather than the usual carbohydrates found in breads, stuffing and mashed potatoes. Just cutting back on carbohydrates alone will save you from gaining the typical ten pounds overtheholidays. Withthis inmind,asecond,thirdorfourthhelpingofyourfavoritedish isgoingtomake a difference. This special holiday only comes once a year, and a brisk thirty-minute jog could potentially help burn up to 100 calories or more; just don’t go back to the leftovers afterwards.Itisimportanttorealizewejustdon’tneedtoconsumethatmanycaloriesinoneday. It isnotnecessary tocutyourselfoffcompletely fromallof thosespeciallypreparedrecipes, but everything in moderation is the way to go.

Food Serving Size Calories Total Fat (g) Sat. Fat (g)Turkey 3.5ounces 160 4 1Butter 1 tablespoon 100 11 7SweetPotatoCasserole

7ounces 470 17 6

PumpkinPie 1/8oftwelveinchpie

320 15 5

PecanPie 1/8oftwelveinchpie

500 25 5

Corn bread 2inchslice 170 5 1CranberrySauce

1cup 418 1 >1

Campbell’s GreenBeanCasserole

1cup 160 9 3

CookedCarrots 1cup 50 1 >1Stuffing 1cup 110 3 0MashedPotatoes ½cup 125 3 0

EggNog 1cup 342 19 11

thankful for Health: eat in moderation

Colleen lugar

staff writer

You Know You’re a HistorY Buff wHen...Your favorite channel is the History ChannelYou bring your textbook home every night so that you can have some “light reading” before you go to bed

You regularly make jokes about governmental leaders in the past fifty years and no one else understands them except for your teachers

You can name every country and its capital in alphabetical order

You are able to name every president, the year he was born, his wife’s name, his home state, how many kids he had, and whether he had any allergies... all in under ten minutes

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

You Know You’re a Senior If...You know how many times the colon on the clock blinks in one periodYou show up to school in the same clothes you slept inYou think to yourself “Why am I still here?” more than four times a day, quite possibly up to three times a periodYou have memorized every single poster, painting, and decoration in your teachers’’ classroomsYou can tell someone a recap of any TV show on any given dayYou find yourself trying to talk all your teachers into blowing off class and watch a movie insteadYou actually find yourself doing a math problem to see how low of a grade you can get and pass a classYou know the shortest ways to class but take the long ones so you can talk to your friendsYou’re often seen in the hallway with marks

on your face from falling asleep on your desk. Again.

You find the blue prints for the new spa that will be put in your room next year

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

10.

9.

7.

6.

8.

HistoryTHE TALE OF HOW MANY

DIFFERENT NATIONS, FROM

ALL ACROSS THE WORLD,

GAINED THEIR INDEPEN-DENCE FROM

GREAT BRITAIN

You Might Be A Science geek When...

You have the Mole Song on your iPod

Your girl friend breaks up with you because you have no chemistry, and you try to prove her wrong using various graphs and charts

As a child , you threw your mother’s toaster out the window to calculate the flight path

You know what “guano” is, and are unafriad to shout it during class

You have no problem reading and understanding this sentence

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

A PLACE THAT

HAS NO RECESS

High School

Science

An attempt to

understand the

world often

Contains Big

Words that are

unnecessary

LanguageWHAT YOUR MOTHER

CLA IMS MOV IES

SHE DOESN’T WANT

YOU TO SEE HAS TOO

MUCH OF

Bill Amend

www.foxtrot.com

You Know You’re a HistorY Buff wHen...Your favorite channel is the History ChannelYou bring your textbook home every night so that you can have some “light reading” before you go to bed

You regularly make jokes about governmental leaders in the past fifty years and no one else understands them except for your teachers

You can name every country and its capital in alphabetical order

You are able to name every president, the year he was born, his wife’s name, his home state, how many kids he had, and whether he had any allergies... all in under ten minutes

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

You Know You’re a Media Fanatic iF...

You annoy the people around you in the theater

when you point out different camera angles in each

sceneYou name and describe the different kinds of ad-

vertisements when you look through a magazine

You document your life through videos and pic-

tures, then post them on your YouTube account for

everyone to seeYou spend more than three periods a day

in the basementYou show up at seven every morning just to chill

out in the Media Rooms

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

GrammarSOMETHING THAT THE PEO-PLE ON THE INTERNET ARE INCAPABLE OF LEARNING

GeekTHE PEOPLE YOU

PICK ON IN HIGH

SCHOOL AND END

UP WORKING FOR

AS AN ADULT

You Might Be A Science geek When...

You have the Mole Song on your iPod

Your girl friend breaks up with you because you have no chemistry, and you try to prove her wrong using various graphs and charts

As a child , you threw your mother’s toaster out the window to calculate the flight path

You know what “guano” is, and are unafriad to shout it during class

You have no problem reading and understanding this sentence

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

You Might Be A MAth Nerd if.

..

You don’t care wha

t flavor p is

You honestly believe

that Tax

Day is a holiday t

hat should be

celebrated rather

than abhorred

The doodles in t

he margins of

your papers are

fancy versions

of the quadratic f

ormula

You no longer cons

ider X to be a

letter

You would rather have a

double period of M

rs. Canfield AP

Calculus class than a single

period of Academic

English

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

Physics

A FUNDAMENTAL

FORM OF SCIENCE,

THE WORKINGS OF

WHICH ARE

INDISTINGUISHABLE

FROM MAGIC

English A LANGUAGE THAT LURKS IN DARK ALLEYS, BEATS UP OTHER LANGUAGES, AND RIFLES THROUGH THEIR POCKETS FOR SPARE VOCABULARY

MathematicsUSELESS UNTIL

YOU’RE LOOKING

FOR A BARGAIN AT

THE MALL

www.talesfrombandcamp.com

opinion�

October 21, 2008 Smoke Signals

He saidian JaCKson

What would be an ideal Christmas gift?Xbox games

Do you think there should be a price limit when shopping for a boyfriend or girlfriend?No,ifIthinkshe’dlikeitI’llgetitanyway.

What is your favorite holiday dessert?Sweet potatoes with brown sugar and pecans

What would be the perfect New Years evening?

Hanging out with a bunch of people at someone’shouse.

Amy burzottAWhat would be an ideal Christmas gift?

Do you think there should be a price limit when shop-ping for a boyfriend or girlfriend?

What is your favorite holiday dessert?

What would be the perfect New Years evening?

Acar!

No,thepricedoesn’tmatter,ifhe’sgoingtolikeit.

PumpkinPie

Goingdowntowntoanicerestaurantandwatchingtheball drop on TV with everyone.

She Said

Under Pressurematthew sikora

staff writer

Ifyouplaysportsthenyouhaveachanceofgettingaconcussion.Youmaynotthinktheheadachesthatyoureceivefromfallingorgettinghitinthehead are serious, but you must be very careful in dealing with severeheadaches. The leading cause ofconcussions is a hard blow re-ceivedtothehead.Therearethreedifferenttypesofconcus-sions.A type one concussioncauses a temporary changein mental state.This includestrouble focusing and confu-sion, which usually resolveswithin fifteen minutes. A type two concussion has similarsymptoms, but it lasts longer than fifteen minutes. A type threeconcussionwill result inalossofconsciousness.Infor-mation from www.mayoclinic.com Kurt Thyreen, a highschool football player, kept his concussion a secret and didnot tell his dad. During oneof his football games, he took

many hard blows but kept it asecretfromhisparentsandthe coach. The next weekhis headaches were so se-vere that he could not playin his school band. Thyreen didnotsayanythinguntilthenext game, when he ran offof the field complaining that he could not uncross hiseyes.Hehadastrokeonthefield that paralyzed his left side. Thyreen was taken tothe hospital where the doc-torsfoundaclotontherightside of his brain. The swelling was past the point of being helped.Fivedays later,Thy-reendied. Ifyouareplayinganysport with physical contactand feel major headaches,report them to your coachor parents immediately. Youshouldnotplayanyphysicalsport ifyouhaveheadachesorfeeldizzy.Don’ttrytoplayifyoustillhaveaheadache.Thiswillcausethesymptomsto continue and increase in

severity. One of the great-est reasons that the playersdo not say that they haveheadaches is that they feelpressure of having to playall the time, to be able to get a chance at a scholarship.You will still be able to play in college if you get a concus-sion. If youmissoneor twogames because you have a concussion, that will not al-terwhetherornotyougetascholarship. Another reasonis that the players want toimpressthecoach,theirpar-ents,and their friends.Evenif theyhaveaserioushead-ache,theydonotwanttotellanybody because they don’t thinkitisserious. Allplayersshouldre-portheadachestothecoachor their parents immediatelytodecreasethechancesofaconcussion.

emily estep

opinion editor

entertainer of the year: tina fey The year 2008 is coming to aclose, so who should be crowned enter-taineroftheyear?TinaFey.ManyknowFey has been skyrocketing in the indus-try since her days on Saturday NightLive (SNL), writing box office gold such as Mean Girls, but this year is her best yet. In2008aloneher televisionshow30 Rock won a boatload of Emmy’s. She starred in a number one movie at the box office, Baby Mama, and resur-rectedSNLwithherSarahPalinimpres-sion. TinaFeycreated,stars in,andwrites the phenomenal NBC comedy30Rock,whichwasnominated for 17Emmys this year and won 7, includ-ing Outstanding Comedy Series andOutstanding Lead actress. 30 Rockcurrently holds the record for mostEmmys ever nominated for a sin-glecomedyseriesinoneyear. ThecurrentseasonofSaturday

NightLiveisdoingwell,almostpurelybecause of veteran Fey, who used to be a member and writer of the show. A recent episode featuring Fey do-inganimpressionofpoliticianSarahPalinproducedthehighestratingsfortheshowin14years.TheratingsforSNL have been slowly declining up untilthispoint,andTinaFeyhassin-gle-handedly pulled it from the dustand brought it into the mainstream onceagain. When38year-oldFeywasn’tstarring inorwriting forhuge televi-sion shows and movies this year,she somehow found time to raiseher 3-year old daughter Alice. Shewas also a very involved member of theWriter’sStrikeearlierintheyearand signed a book deal in October. Reportedly, the book deal was worth morethan5milliondollars.It ispre-dicted to be a nonfiction humor.

Got Facts?taylor miller

staff writer

Afteragruelingtwoyearsofcampaigning, Barack Obama pulled offalandslidevictoryoverJohnMc-Cain, winning by more than six mil-lion votes. However, the greatestquestion still remains: Did Americaknowwhoitwasvotingfor? Radio announcer HowardStern recentlyperformedanexperi-ment in which he asked individualsinHarlem,NewYork,whotheywerevoting for and why. When the sub-jectsrespondedthattheyweresup-porting Obama, Stern followed up with questions about whether they agreed with “Obama’s” views of sup-porting the War in Iraq, being pro-life,andhisvice-presidentialpickofSarah Palin. A shocking number of people that were put on-air duringStern’s broadcast agreed that they supported “Obama’s” views… even

though they actually comprisedJohnMcCain’splatform. Howard Stern’s startlingbroadcast is just one of many casesinwhichcitizenswerecom-pletely uninformed about the can-didatetheyintendedonvotingfor.Thefoundingfathersofthiscountryattempted to prohibit uneducated citizens from voting by only allow-ing white male landowners – theeducated individuals of the time– to vote in elections. What hasourcountrycometothatwedonotknow whom we are voting for orwhywearevotingforhimorher?I urge all voters, whether Demo-crat or Republican, not to vote in thenextelectionunlesstheyknowwhat their candidate supports… and preferably who their vice-pres-identialselectionis.

We’veallheard, “don’t textwhileyou drive,” but have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t textwhile you walk?” You’ve probably seen a person bump into some-one else or trip over something,all while texting, but believe it or not,peoplecanalsogetseriouslyhurt from doing this. Reports ofinjuries caused by texting on the move are increasing, and I thinkwecanallagreethatweneedtobe more vigilant about this issue. The problem with texting while you’re walking is obvious: people can’t handle the task ofmultitasking.Nomatterhowalertwe are, the human brain just is not capable of giving full concentration to doing multiple things at once.Youareputtingyourselfindangerwhen texting while doing some-thingthatdemandsyourfullatten-tion. “When texting, you are toobusy worrying about where your fingers are on the keypad, what youaresaying,andwhoyouare

saying it to, rather thanpayingattention towhatyouweredo-ing before your phone vibrated. Andthinkingthat“WellIdon’thavetolookatthescreento text,” isn’t the answer. In reality it does not matter be-cause your brain is still doing two thingsatonce,andone islikely toget lessattention thanthe other. Your reaction timeisslowerwhenyou text,and itpreventsyoufrompayingcloseattention to your surroundings.You will not have enough timeto react while before completely wiping out. “I once was tex-ting while walking down thestairs, and I completely fell. Itwas not a good experience,” stated senior Kristina Gaudy. Formany,itishardtolivewithout texting. So the best thing todoistomanagehow,when,andwhereyoutext.Next time,to avoid injury, use good judg-ment, and think before you text.

Don’t Text While You…Walk. dana Hoelle

staff writer

�opinionOctober 21, 2008 Smoke Signals

C h a n g e l i n g

M o v i e R e v i e w s

Changelingisalongmovie.Itisroughlytwohoursand twenty minutes long. This just goes to show,how truly fantastic it is, because for all one hun-dred and forty minutes, it is entirely engrossing.Changeling is about the true story of single woman named Christine Collins, whose son goes miss-ing.Themovietakesplaceinthelate1920swhenthe LAPD was considered to be almost complete-ly corrupt and frowned upon by the masses. In an attempt to fix their reputation, they then return, or should Isay replace, theson.Collins thenspendsa majority of the movie trying to convince the po-lice that the boy they gave her, is not her son, and thatheisstilloutthere,inseriouspotentialdanger.Angelina Jolie portrays Christine Collins bril-liantly, in such a way that really connects the au-dience to the character. That is not to say, how-ever, that her performance out shadows that ofJohn Malkovich, who plays a local reverend fixed on the idea of taking down the LAPD and is oneof the few who believes in Collins from the begin-ning.Hischaracter isperhaps thestrongest in thewholemovie, puttinghim in thespotlight for apo-tentialOscarnomination,alongwithJolie.Theen-tire cast was flawless to the point that even minor characters shine. Changeling is dark, a little bit dis-turbing, and incredibly entertaining from start to fin-ish. As one of the first ‘Oscar movies’ of the year to be released, it sets a high standard for the rest of the hopefuls. One of Clint Eastwood’s bests, and that’s saying something, it will not go down without a fight thisawardsseason.

When Peters Townshipcomes to mind, fun and eventfulprobably aren’t the best adjectives. Picture a typical Friday night. It’sbeen a long week, you can’t wait hang out with friends and get out.You and your friends think, “whatshould we do?” Then you all re-member, “Wow there is absolutely nothing to do here in good ol’ PT.” Here is a list of top ten things todo in Pittsburgh, PA. Hopefully this helpsyougetoutFridaynight.

10. Andy Warhol MuseumStriking and intriguing both describe theAndyWarholMuseum.Alldiffer-ent sorts of paintings and picturesare located here, making it a funand interesting place to be. Junior PatWalkersays,“Hispaintingsre-ally show that he wasn’t afraid toexpresshimselfandsharehisviewsof life. I would definitely recommend everyone visits the museum.”

9. Laser StormThis may not be the ideal Friday night activity, but it is definitely somethingdifferenttotry.Accordingto laserstorm.org, this pleasurable placeis locatedon7715McKnightRoad. Laser Storm offers not onlylaser tag, but food, drinks, and a pri-vatepartyroom.

8. Tanger OutletsYou better stuff your wallet if you planonspendingadayatthenewTanger Outlets. Located in Wash-ington, this shopping center isthe place to be. Old Navy, Guess, AmericanEagle,and(mypersonalfavorite)Coach,arejustafewofthehigh-quality stores there. Tanger-outlet.com/Washington provides alistofallstores,deals,andcomingattractions.

7. Station SquareAlways find cause for celebration, but where should you celebrate? Station Square offers great res-taurants, including Hard Rock, the

MeltingPot,andBuccsdiPeppo.Atnightthereisagorgeousview,and Station Square is alwaysa popular place to be. Whether or not you are celebrating a six-month anniversary or just party-ingwiththegirls,StationSquareis definitely a great option.

6. Dave and Buster’sWhat better place to kick back, re-lax,andenjoysomegamingthanDave and Busters? Dave andBuster’soffersmanythings,fromrestaurants, to a place to watchthe big sports game, to finally gettingthathighscoreonyourfa-voritevideogame.DanceDanceRevolution,NothingButNet,andSuperTriviaarejustafewofthegamesthere.

5. Ice Skating at PPG RinkThere is no better way to enjoy the season than with some ice-skatinginthecity.Whetheryou’regoing with friends, family, a boy-friend or girlfriend it’ll be lots of fun. With a beautifully lit tree in themiddle,it’stheplacetomakesome memories. So grab your scarfandgloves,andcomehaveagoodtime.

4. South SideLocated on Carson Street, intheSouthSideWroks isagreatshopping center with the fa-mous Cheesecake Factory. Af-ter a long hard day of shoppingfromstores suchasForever21,H&M, and Puma, there is no bet-terplacetorelaxandhavegreatmeal.Choosingyourdinnerfromthe long menu at the Cheese-cake Factory can be difficult but it’s much more difficult to choose from over twenty-five different kinds of mouth-watering, moist,deliciouscheesecakes.

3. Seven SpringsPowdery snow, clear skies,and good weather are the ideal

conditionsforeveryskier,andSeven Springs offers thesesorts of conditions. This skiresort isagreatplacewhereskiers and non-skiers canhaveagoodtime.Becauseitoffersnotonlyslopes,youcanalso kick back in the movie theater, go bowling, or enjoy a swimintheindoorpool.Sev-en Springs offers somethingforeveryone.

2. Mount WashingtonA breathtaking view and de-lectable dishes are just two ofthethingsMountWashing-tonhas tooffer.Anightwalkalong theoutskirtsof thecitywill give you a beautiful view of it. If you are looking for afancier place for celebration, MountWashingtonistheper-fectplaceforyouwithrestau-rantslikeBellaVista,Cliffside,andGrandview.

1. Pittsburgh Light Up Night

Pittsburgh Light up Night only comes around once a year,and it is definitely an event youdonotwanttomiss.No-vember 21 is when the city kicks off the holiday season.Not only does it give you abeautiful view, but the PPG rinkopensthatdayandthereare all sorts of restaurantsaround there. So bring your friends, family, and everyoneyouknowforastunningeve-ning in Pittsburgh. PT may not be the most exciting place in theworld but going into the city orshoppingatthenewoutletscan sure help you be enter-tained on your fun, relaxingweekend.

As Seen on TV: Products Worth BuyingBethany suchy

staff writer

Day after day, hundreds of infomer-cials flash across our television screens. While mostof themare ignored,haveyoueverconsid-ered actually buying something? After interviews with different people and testing various prod-ucts, many of these infomercial items are actu-ally worth buying. Ignore the ridiculous slogans and terrible acting because these products work. The Bender Ball, tested by junior Shannon Smith,isapremiumexercisetool.Accordingtowww.asseenontv.com, this soft rubber ball is designed to target your abdominals, thighs, arms, shoulders, and back. Equipped with an exercise video, learn the different exercise techniques to get into the best shape of your life. It is portable and affordable with a diameter of 65 cm and only one payment of $9.95. “I really like the bender ball because it is easy to use, but it gives an excellent workout,” said Smith. A best selling product on television is the PedEgg.Withoutspendinglargesumsofmoneyonpedicures,thePedEggallowsyoutogetthespa

experience at home. What does this incredible item do? The Ped Egg, which conveniently fits into thepalmofyourhand,removescallusesfrom the foot, making your feet look flawless. BrittanyWoodrow,ajunior,exclaimed,“IneverthoughtthePedEggwouldactuallywork.Itissimple to use and works effectively every time.” In the foods category, the magicalGreen Bags were tested. These plastic bags claim to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for many weeks. Twenty bags can be purchased for one payment of $9.95. Over 40 million bags have been sold, and the number keeps increasing. I tested out these bags myself, and Icanhonestlysay theywork. Iused thebags on various fruits and vegetables and they did remain fresh for weeks. This prod-uct will satisfy customers and is eco-friendly. Although As Seen on TV prod-ucts may seem strange, they are effi-cient, inexpensive and are worth buying.

amy Burzotta

staff writer

How to escape the Bubble: top 10 things to do in pittsburgh

Hilarious,hilarious,hilarious.Thoseare the threedescriptive words I would use to describe Role Models. Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, andChristopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin’,) are justthree of the ridiculous characters that make upthe cast. Wheeler (Scott) and Danny (Rudd) aretwoenergydrinksalesrepswhoaresentencedto150 hours of community service, mentoring kids.Wheeler is given a troubled little boy who has the mouthof10sailors,whileDannymentorsanerdyteen boy interested in dragons and quidditch. At first dreading this task, Danny and Wheeler come to realize this is not such a chore. The two kidsend up teaching them about themselves and re-sponsibility. With (many) screw-ups, and (many) laughs along the way, Role Models is definitely a must see hysterical comedy of the season.

R o l e M o d e l s

emily estepOpinion Editor

amy BurzottaStaff Writer

sports10 October 21, 2008 Smoke Signals

“13-3, because the Steelers are AMAZING!”

Meredith Karavolis, ‘11

underreview What will the Steelers’ record be and why?

“They’re doing well so far and i think they will keep it up.”

“11-5, because Big Ben will probably get sacked 30 more

times this season.”

Bill Campbell, ‘09 Nicole Provident, ‘09

shaving the ice: pens off to a solid start

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the defending Eastern ConferenceChampions, but the 2008-2009 team has changed greatly since lastseason. Some key players, includingleft-wingersRyanMaloneandMarianHossa, signed deals with the TampaBay Lightning and the Detroit RedWings.ButwithnewcomersMiroslavSatan and Ruslan Fedotenko inthe lineup, the Pens should be on their way to another Stanley Cupappearance.Theyhavestartedoffwitha respectable record of 9-4. Centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are leadingtheteaminpoints,withtwenty-fourandnineteenpointsrespectively.Crosby is becoming more and more of a veteran captain of this hockey club. Hehasearned thehype thathehas

receivedoverthepastcoupleofyears,with players such as center TylerKennedy and defenseman BrooksOrpik contributing as well. This is an talentedyoung team thathasstartedtheseasonwithawinningattitude. The Penguins haven’t been a really great team and lacked playoffexperience in thepast.Theyhad theworstrecordintheleagueuntilrookiesensation Sydney Crosby was drafted in 2005. They have finally proven to the hockey community that they can liveup to the challenge of being a source of attraction in the city of Pittsburgh. With the new stadium expected to be completed by 2011 and the talented players performing at such a highintensity, the future of the Penguinslooks to be a great success.

Connor Jacksonstaff writer

Back on the mat New coaches, new wrestlers, new season– no one is quite sure what effect these changeswillhaveonthewrestlingteam.Afterwinningatotalofonlyfourmatchesinthepasttwoyears,onecanhope that thingswill only improve fromhere.Withthe addition of Head Coach Jason Carpetta andAssistant Coach Andy Shrader, fingers are crossed that the old truth “change is good” will stand. Coach Carpetta’s claim to fame was bringing Fort Cherry’s varsity team back from the brink, ultimately becoming themostsuccessfulwrestlingcoachintheschool’shistory. There is no doubt in his mind that he will be able to bring this talented group of athletes to successaswell.“ThemostimportantthingIwanttogive the team is a good sense of pride,” said Coach Carpetta.The coaches will not be the only deciding factors

in the wrestling team’s record this year; the wrestlers themselves are ultimately going to be the ones who have the greatest effect on the scoreboard. It will certainly not be an easy journey – the team lost five seniors to graduation last year, two of which qualified for WPIALs. Many former wrestlers will also not be participating in the 2008-2009 season due to injuries and conflicts of interest. However, younger wrestlers will be moving up from the Junior Varsity team to fill in the empty weight classesandcompeteforsomethatarealreadytaken.Theveteranparticipantsarereadytodotheirownpartin improving the team as well. Many wrestlers began preparing themselves long before there was so much as a whisper of after-school conditioning, governedby nothing but their own motivation. “If I hadn’t started conditioning before the season started, I think I would die during practices and matches,” said junior Taylor DiBart.

averi Clementsstaff writer

Asanyathletewill tellyou,though,enthusiasmprovidesonlyastepstooltovictory.Thewrestlersmust concentrate on becoming stronger, both physically and technically. “I wrestle guys whoare bigger and stronger than me every year,” said senior Taylor Miller. “I make up for that by being better conditioned and outsmarting them.” With the team’s first match approaching on December 17, there is still time to make the most of a fresh start.The Indians are refusingto relinquish their future to chance. They areand will continue to take down the obstacles in their path, holding their heads high through itall. It is this drive that will make the differencebetween pins and decisions, wins and losses, anddisappointmentandtriumph.

Brady’s abrasion injures nfl

After tearing his ACL on September 7, 2008, reports show that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady underwent a second surgery. The first surgery, conducted on October 6, was not as successful as his doctors had first thought it would be due to complications involving an infected knee. The woundwasreopenedtoseehow itwashealing,andBradywasputonanantibiotic to treat the infection. Even though doctors believe that Brady will be healthy after six to eight weeks of physical rehabilitation, some rumors state that Brady may not be completely healed by the start of next season. AlthoughthePatriotsarethirdintheirdivision,theracecontinuestoremain extremely tight. They sit right behind Brett Favre and the New York Jets and the much-improved Miami Dolphins with the Buffalo Bills just barely trailing behind. Second-string quarterback Matt Cassel, who has temporarily replaced Brady, is being pressured from every angle. With Brady, the Patriots would win with ease against teams such as the Miami Dolphins, but after he was injured and replaced with Cassel, Miami proved to be too much for theteamtohandle.However,thePatriotshavecontinuedtoprovethattheyare still a viable contender; the New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, and Indianapolis Colts have been the only other teams to defeat them so far. Cassel has contributed greatly to their success, shattering all doubts and leading the team in a way that not many backup quarterbacks could. Besides, replacingaplayerwhohasclaimedNFLrecords,gone16-0inthe2007-2008regular season, and won a Superbowl in his first year as a starter is not an easytask.EvenwithCassel’stalentandleadershipskills,itishardtosayjusthow far the Patriots will go in the race to the Superbowl this year… and how the NFL will handle the loss of their biggest star.Whetheryou like itornot,TomBradyandwide-receiverRandyMossarea lethal combination, making for some heart-pounding NFL action during every game. Add the rest of the New England’s gifted offense and impeccable defense and the results are spectacular. The NFL lost a considerable amount ofappealand lusterdue toBrady’s injury.Many fanspay topdollar toseehim play football. Even for fans of other teams, Brady was entertaining for a simplereason:hescoresalotofpoints.Formanypeople,thePatriots’gamesaren’tworthgoingtoorwatchingifhedoesn’tplay.Duetofansnotpayingforfront-rowseatsandthelossofmotivationtowatchthegames,theNFLlosesmoneyforeverygameBradymisses.

matt schillingstaff writer

FISHTANK

in Conclusion of fall sports in ptHs:

Renée Wunderlich, Editor-In-Chief

11October 21, 2008 Smoke Signalssports

F o o t b a l l

C r o s s C o u n t r y

G i r l s S o c c e r

B o y s S o c c e r

G i r l s G o l f

B o y s G o l f

V o l l e y b a l l

S p o r t s B r i e f s

F i e l d H o c k e y

(15-1-2)BeatingSenecaValleyindouble over time

-CourtneyHannan

(13-5-0) Thehighlightofourseason was definitely winningWPIALsandgettingtostates -GregWeimer

tradition: Keep on runningtaylor relich

sports co-editor

swinging to the top The Peters Township Varsity Boys Golf Teamhasareputationintheareaasapowerhouseprogram.The 2008 boys lived up to that reputation and then some. They brought home a WPIAL Championship, and they ended the season as the runner-up in the PIAA StatePlayoffs. Chris Resnik, John Ross, Hunter Stanchik,CoreyMartinez,TaylorRelick,andStephenRadke ledthe team to their impressive accomplishments. I tooka few of these players and asked them about the past season.Q: How did it feel to finally break out and win the WPIAL title with the tough competition in the conference?CoreyMartinez:Itwasaprettygoodfeeling.Itwaslikeour hard work finally paid off. Hunter Stanchik: It was great. It was the best moment of my life. I ate a five-dollar-foot long afterwards and also gavemymomakiss.Steve Radke: I was so pumped.The rivalries that wehaveintheconferencejustmadeitsomuchsweetertowinit.Q: Which accomplishment was your favorite this season?CM:IthinkIwillgowithPIAArunner-ups.Imeansecondinthewholestatewasacoolexperienceandthewholetripwasreallyfun.SR:Idisagree.IamgoingtohavetogowiththeWPIALChampionship.As a wise man once said, “If you ain’tfirst, you’re last.” I’m happy with our season if we just beat USC, let alone win the WPIAL.Q: What was the funniest moment of the season?HS: The funniest moment was probably when we won our semifinal match in the WPIAL playoffs, I took off my shirt and rode the bull around the green. The other teams gotreallyangryandactuallythreatenedme.Q: If you could summarize the season in one word what would it be?SR:Glorious.CM:FunHS:Domination.Q: Ok, this is for Steve and Corey only. What will you

ian Jacksonstaff writer

The boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams have been built on a tradition of success, and the 2008campaign did not change that. Theteams had a combined record of 13-5, with the girls’ team having onlyone loss to Mt. Lebanon. The girls’ team was not only impressive in theteam events, but also in the individual tournaments.Sophomore Kayla Keddalqualified for the WPIAL meet andplacedseventhoverall.From there she advancedontothePIAAmeet,whichwas held November 1 at Parkview Cross CountryCourse in Hershey, PA.Keddal finished sixth in the entire state, runninga time of 18:14 in the 3.1-mileevent.Keddalwasnotthe only contributor to the Indians success though.“Weallhadtoworktogetherbecause cross-country is not an individual effort; every runner matters,” said senior captain BridgetStasenko. She and KatieNerone anchored the girls’team,withWesGroll,WillBowler,and

RickyPalaciosastheircounterpartsonthe boys’ team, all of whom have four years of experience running for theteam. Several underclassmen werealsovitalpartsoftheIndians’winningseasons such as Mike Chamberlin and Jon Radolec for the boys, and Laura CrummieandMelissaZuccariniforthe

girls.“Cross-country is an

experience; the people, the coaches,and theatmosphereareall so different from other sports.Cross-country is like a family,not just a team,” said senior Bill Campbell. He also mentioned

that his favorite partsof the season weregetting to run at theTri-State tournamentand painting his facefortheWPIALmeet. The Indians’ unityand team chemistryhave boosted them to success in whatsome believe to be an essentially individual sport. Withthe hard-workingu n d e r c l a s s m e nand team unity,the Indians look topress on to anotherwinning season in2009, carrying onthe seldom-noticedtraditionofPTCC.

guys miss most about the team next year when you go off to college?SR: I will just miss being one of the guys. I’ll miss the coachesand the freegolf. Iwillmiss thesweetclotheswegettowear.CM:Iwillmissmyteammatesandthecoaches.IwillmissJohnRoss’sstoriesandHunterofcourse.

“the highlight of our season”

(13-5)Trick-or-treatinginthehotelupinHershey

-KaylaKeddal

(2-7)Beating Baldwin in our first AAAAsectiongame

-JackHareza

(12-0-1)KaylaHoward:BeingSectionChampions

-KaylaHoward

(14-11-1)We won one game in the USC match; they were expected to crush us! -Julia Broglie

(16-2)WinningWPIALs

-ChrisResnik

(16-1)MakingittotheWest-ernRegionals

-JesseParham

Photo By: Samanha Higgins

Photo By: Stephanie Lusk

Favorite holiday tradition?Sharing what we are all

thankful for before we pray for our meal

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?Turkey and Pecan Pie

Last year for break, I...Walked with my children

Any Thanksgiving disasters?I baked a Jello dessert in the oven in place of a spinach

casseroleWhat float would you add to

the Thanksgiving Parade?A float celebrating chemistry!

Teacher MinuteMRS. GEARHART

The PT MinuteFavorite holiday tradition?

My family comes over for dinnerWhat is your favorite food at Thanksgiving?

TurkeyLast year for break, I went...

NowhereIf you were a vegetarian, what would you eat

instead of turkey?Tofu turkey

Any Thanksgiving disasters/special memories?My mom burned our turkey

What float would you add to the Thanksgiving Parade? A Coldplay float

Ryan Cassaday

Favorite holiday tradition?Playing flag football with my family

What is your favorite food at Thanksgiving?Pumpkin roll

Last year for break, I went...To my cousin’s house

If you were a vegetarian, what would you eat instead of turkey?

PastaAny Thanksgiving disasters/special memories?

My dog’s birthday is on ThanksgivingWhat float would you add to the Thanksgiving Parade?

A root beer float

Alison Forbrich

What unique family traditions do you have for thanksgiving?

“I go to my grandma’s house” “We go to Florida” “We go to California” “We go around the table and say why we are thankful”

Freshman Zach Sewada Sophomore Eric Yechley Junior Juliana Makrinos Senior Megan Graysay

What are you most thankful for this thanksgiving?

“Food on the table” “Veterans overseas” “Friends and family” “Family”Freshman Nico Summaria Sophomore Kurt Sickmund Junior Tom Norton Senior Ben Kennel

What do the Teachers think?

“Every Thanksgiving morning, my family and I play flag football”

“Hines Ward” “About twenty family members come to my house ”

“My family, the people here at school, and my health”

Mrs. Polard Mr. Sussman Mr. Maize Ms. Ring

Voicesin theHall