April 2006 - Saint John High School

S HJ OHUSN D
T H E
Issue #2
April, 2006
Opinions
Section
Spring Fever, Skipping Class
Beaver One, Beaver All
by: Hayley Skidd
Everybody is aware of how long the winter season lasts, especially when you are sitting through an hour long math class that
feels like it has been going on for three hours.
These cold days give students no choice but
to roll out of bed and head to school because really, what is the point of jigging class
on a snowy, freezing-cold day when there is
nothing to do? When spring suddenly hits
around April, many teachers may notice a
rise in the number of student absences in
their classes.
There is a reason for these absences and
it’s a good one, I promise! The sudden transformation in weather from freezing to warm
and from gloomy to sunny can be an extreme
Page 2
adjustment for teenagers who are very sensitive to change (and most teenagers are).
The shock of the nice weather makes everyone want to be outside! When Emma Storey
was asked why students are more prone to
missing class when the nice weather rolls
around she answered, “It’s so nice out and
the year is almost done, I’d rather be outside
in the sunshine than sitting in a classroom
doing work.” When Dave Foster was asked
the question he pretty much agreed, “It’s because we have been bundled up all winter
and it was too cold to go outside then, so we
are spending time outside now while it’s
warm.”
This entire situation of students missing class is obviously frustrating teachers
very much. I find every time I walk into one
of my classes the teacher is always asking
that same questions: “Why are the desks so
empty? Where is everyone?” Well, the answers to those questions are simple: “We
are outside wandering around Saint John in
the fresh spring air because it is practically
impossible to be sitting at a desk trying to
concentrate while the sun is beaming in
through the window.” Annoying to many
teachers this bad habit may be, but once students are threatened enough they will understand it is time to return to class and leave
the warm spring sun for after school and the
weekends, and plus, summer vacation is just
around the corner!
by: Melanie Smith
If you’re in grade twelve, possibly even
grade eleven, you might remember a little
thing called “The Beaver Call”, a fun, innocent song that everyone in the school loved
to sing. Being young in the school, I would
go around “chh chh chh-ing” to everyone,
and they would do it back. But then, something happened, and the beloved Beaver Call
was gone. What happened, you ask?
Well, you see, I’ve heard many rumors
about the Beaver Call, the most popular one
being that some kids in the school made it
seem like it was a sexual song. Saying that
“The Beaver” was not really a beaver, and
that the song got banned from assemblies
for that. In my personal opinion, I think that
sucked. Really, it’s just a fun song, why did
people have to go and ruin it? I don’t know a
single person who hasn’t danced and sung
Saint John High School
to that song, unless, of course, they have
never heard it.
My favorite part of the song was the
ending: “Beaver eight, beaver nine, STOP!
It’s beaver time!” The memories of hearing
everyone around me yell, “STOP! It’s beaver
time!” and then start dancing is hilarious. It
was such a catchy song and always in the
back of your mind.
So all of you who secretly know and love
“The Beaver Call”, do a one-last-time tribute
to the song; give it some credit, and don’t
think of it in that “sexual context”. Think of it
as you did when you were young, and you
heard it for the first time.
“Beaver One, Beaver All, let’s all do the
Beaver Call!”
The Hound
Opinions
“Busting” In The Halls
by: Kalyn Martin
OK ladies, this article is for you, especially those of you who have been blessed by
Mother Nature with large chests. Yes, we know you’ve got it, but do you have to flaunt it?
As a “busty” girl myself I don’t see the need for the low shirts that reveal a little more
than is necessary, especially in an environment that is trying to promote learning. Who wants
to see how much cleavage you can get while we’re trying to master the art of solving a
severely hard physics problem?
Now I know some of you ladies may rant and
rave about how dressing in a certain manner is the
way you “express yourself.” But expressing yourself DOESN’T mean prancing around school with
“the girls” hanging out! There’s a dress code for a
reason, and that reason has nothing to do with stomping on
your freedom of expression.
The dress code exists because, as a public facility, we have to
show a little bit of decency, otherwise we’d be setting a bad example
for all those little kids who want to be cool and dress like the big kids.
So if it’s such a bad idea, why is it that we find ourselves flaunting
what our mammas gave us? Is it because we want everyone to look, so we
can feel beautiful? Or is it to make all the other girls who don’t have anything
to show off, jealous? Or could it be that it’s just the trend of the century?
Questions such as these are hard to answer specifically, so I’m just going to let you girls
figure them out for yourselves and make your own decisions.
All I know for sure is that I don’t want to walk down the hall, and see an unexpected
surprise from a girl who’s got more than her share of flesh on the chest. I’m sure I’m not the
only one who feels this way.
So if you could do us all a favor and cover up “the girls,” I’m sure our school would be
a happier place.
Pretending to be Mournful
by: Arthur Cormier
In my opinin, pretending to be mournful
over the death of someone you don’t know
is just plain pathetic. It’s alright to feel sad
about the death of a person; its natural, but
to break down and cry just to get out of class
or to have someone sympathize with you is
just wrong. It’s very disrespectful towards
those who are really mourning.The proper
way to go about such an event is to support
those who have known and loved the deceased. Think about what the family and
friends have to endure, what they have lost.
Many of us have lost those we love,
admire and respect, and to see people faking
mourning is enraging. Imagine your world
being absolutely crushed by an event that
The Hound
is, at first, so incomprehensible. Then.... it
finally sinks in all at once that you’ll never
be able to laugh with them again, you’ll never
have another of your famous weekly arguments followed up by the two of ya’ hitting
up a party or just chillin’ to some music, and
you’ll never again be able to sit down and
tell them what’s on your mind. Then to see
someone pretending to be sad literally makes
you sick to your stomach. Many were absolutely outraged.
All I ask is for just one moment you put
yourself in the position of those who have
lost someone dear to them; try to feel the
agony of what they are going through, and
realize what you are doing is wrong.
Nix The Prefix
“I refuse to recognize the terms
hetero-, bi-, and homo-sexual. Everybody
has exactly the same sexual needs. People
are just sexual, the prefix is immaterial.” —
Morrissey
When I first read this quote, I felt at
home. Finally, someone sees it the way
it’s supposed to be. Bisexuality, homosexuality, heterosexuality, we’re all really
just sexual. Freud said, “the only abnormal sexual desire is none at all,” and
though Freud was a bit of a loony, I’m
inclined to agree with him.
Sexuality is sexuality, and preference
is preference. There is nothing wrong with
a man being attracted to a man, or a woman
to a woman. However, there is also nothing wrong with a man being attracted to a
woman, or the inverse of that. That sounds
fairly redundant , doesn’t it? But if we have
to say that two people should not be attracted to one another, it should encompass all people because people are people. If I’m attracted to a man, then that
by: Chris Weaver
doesn’t really matter because I’m attracted
to a person. I’m attracted to a personality.
When you think about it like that, people
disapproving of homosexual romance are
extremely shallow.
So I suppose what I’m saying, is that
same song that everybody sings. I’m
preaching a message of acceptance, a
message of tolerance. To echo Morrissey’s
words, people are just sexual. That’s all
there is to it. We have sexual needs, sexual
desires. Maybe we could call them romantic needs and desires. We love, and are
loved. That’s the root of what we are, isn’t
it? At the root of every human being is
love. How that love is exercised just depends on the person.
Women and men, men and men, or
women and women, it’s all the same, really. It’s two people together. Two people
exercising their sexual and romantic
needs. What more could you want of a
society? A society which exercises love
in all of its shapes and forms would be
much better off than one that represses it.
The New Trend?
by: Melanie Smith
Defined, a “bisexual” is a person who is sexually attracted to and engages in sensual or
sexual relationships with people of either sex. A bisexual person may not be equally attracted
to both sexes, and the degree of attraction may vary over time. Some people who engage in
bisexual behavior may be supportive of lesbian and gay people, but still self-identify as
straight; others consider any labels irrelevant to their situations.
Bisexuality seems to be popping up everywhere. What used to be frowned upon has
blown up into something of a trend. With the introduction of the term “metro-sexual” and
such shows as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy or such movies as Broke Back Mountain, it
seems that people are becoming more open. But is this true or is everyone just following each
other?
During my first years at Saint John High
it used to be a rare occasion that you would
hear of bisexual people, unless a rumor was
being spread. But now as I am finishing my
final year of high school I have come across
more and more of these individuals are coming into the open. This is great and I couldn’t
be happier for these people.
There is a downside to this open-minded
revolution. More people seem to be following the times and feel that “Well hey, if they
can be, I can be too.” It’s hard to tell if this is
a genuine cry out, or perhaps more of a
shocking statement.
All of this taken into consideration, I still
believe that people’s sexual orientation
should not influence our opinion of them,
but I also believe that you should be true to
yourself, and do only what you believe is
right.
Saint John High School
Page 3
Section Title
Opinions
The Truth about Racism
Where is the Love?
by: Keesha Green
by: Tahnee Graham
“Racism is very much alive in this country, even though people try to sugar coat the
truth to make it appear that we’ve out grown racism.” – S. Hamer
Racism is the belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and
that a certain race is “superior” to others. That definition really has you thinking doesn’t it?
Want to know why? It’s because it is the hardcore truth. It would be nice to be living in a
“perfect world” where every human had ongoing love for one another but this will NEVER
happen, not in our lifetime anyways because that would require some serious adjustments in
our everyday lifestyles. People are just too ignorant to open their eyes and look around at the
reality of what is really happening in our world so how is there a hope of fixing this problem?
You might all be thinking that racism is more prevalent in the U.S. so how does this
impact Canada? Well, for example, I guarantee that you have heard the expression “satellite
kids”, which is how people describe the students who have traveled from different countries
to get an education here. I know this is talked about because I have heard many people in
Saint John say: “Oh them rich immigrant students are coming into this country and taking
over our jobs and Blah Blah Blah…” First of all this community has to be more open to
change because the only way we can improve this city is to be open and accept new opportunities. It is not like these people are coming here to go on our social assistance; they are
getting educations and becoming productive members of this society.
It is rather disturbing to see how normal it can be for people to discriminate against
certain cultures without even realising it. For example, it is common around here for parents
to have set rules regarding bi-racial relationships. I know students would never admit to this
but I have friends who have parents who would disapprove or even disown their sons/
daughters if they dated outside their race. Other judgements that are often passed onto
cultures are some of the following (and they are not any of my beliefs!): Black males are
uneducated criminals (if they get in trouble it is expected), Blacks do not tan, Asians cannot
drive, Asians all look the same, Blacks all look the same, Pakistanis own convience stores and
drive taxis, French are rude and ignorant, Asians are all intelligent, First Nations people are
cheap and lazy and the Irish like alcohol.
It would be nice to believe otherwise but the truth is that racial discrimination will fail to
cease in this world. This world is full of corrupted souls who have to become open-minded to
others before we can see eye to eye. We all have to yearn for peace, within and among each
other to make a true change.
“It’s the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people,
people bump into you. In L.A. nobody touches you. We’re always behind this metal and
glass. I think we miss that touch so much that we crash into each other, just so we can feel
something.” – Crash
We have to unite in order to change. If we never do we will always end up crashing into
one another because that is the only way we know how to feel.
Page 4
I’ve been asking myself more and more
lately where has the love for high school
gone? I remember when I first came here in
grade nine and I only missed, I think, two
days of school the entire year. I wanted to
come to school and my mom would have to
force me to stay home if I was sick because I
didn’t want to miss anything.
This year I have missed quite a bit more
than two days. I just don’t want to come
anymore and what makes me sad is that people told me this would happen. All my older
friends in grade 11 or 12 would tell me, “You’ll
get sick of it, by the time you’re in grade 11;
you won’t want to come here anymore.” It’s
so true! I remember thinking that they were
absolutely insane. I was so happy here and
so excited to come and see my friends and
go uptown for lunch and even going to my
classes wasn’t so bad. My marks weren’t the
best but I passed everything, mainly because
I attended all my classes. Nothing hinders
one’s ability to pass a class like not going.
Saint John High School
I also used to think that the people who
skipped class all the time were absolute nut
balls. I thought: “If they want to get out of
school so bad why don’t they just pass their
classes instead of not going, failing and having to come back an extra year.?” But as the
hours and days and years of class went by I
began to understood how they felt. Teachers start to get on your nerves more, and
paying attention in class let alone going becomes an impossible task. It feels like you’ll
never get out but instead of going to class to
help quicken the pace of leaving for good,
you just don’t go, you feel like you just can’t.
Maybe it’s because some of us just
weren’t made for school. I understand that.
Some people just can’t take a classroom atmosphere; it’s not an optimal learning situation for them and sometimes people are just
better off going and getting their G.E.D.s. But
what about others like me who used to have
no problem with it? What is it that has
changed so drastically?
The Hound
Section Title
Opinions
The “Games” Girls Play
Teenagers and Morals by: Josh Sands
by: Tahnee Graham
Morals; we all have them. It’s our “code of conduct” telling us what we believe is right
and wrong. A conscience, if you will. We will stick to our morals to the bitter end, no matter
what the case may be. If you think something is wrong, nothing can talk you into doing it.
Only if all those characteristics apply, is it truly a moral.
As teenagers, what’s often the case is that our line between right and wrong is blurred.
What most teenagers believe to be fun and exciting may actually be considered bad by
society. Drugs, for example, may be an exhilarating experience to some teens, who think that
it’s okay to continue to do them; whereas in reality it is not a good thing.
The worst case of a blurred moral code is bullying, Bullying is everywhere, because, for
some inexplicable reason, most rowdy teens
seem to think that it is all right to do.
What they fail to realize is that it is not.
Having fun at other people’s expense is
a horrible thing, and an excess of it will
haunt you later on in life. Some day,
you may just be sitting there looking
at your wife or husband, and suddenly thoughts of dunking little
Timmy’s head in the toilet will come
rushing back to you. Did he really
deserve it? Was it really worth
making an innocent bystander
suffer just for your fifteen seconds of fun? (The answer is no.
Although, right now, you may be thinking ‘yes’, it really isn’t and you will realize it in your
later years.)
Nowadays, if you harass somebody long or hard enough, you can, and (if their family
can afford a good attorney) probably will, get sued.
Let me tell you a true story (no, this didn’t happen to a friend of a friend of mine). There
once was a kid around the age of thirteen/fourteen riding on a bus, crossing over the Harbor
Bridge. For some reason, he thought it would be fun to throw a battery at the bus driver. The
battery hit the driver square in the back of the head, causing the driver to flinch and the bus
to swerve and almost drive into the side. Needless to say, the boy was sued for assault.
Now, what strikes me as interesting is how blurred this kid’s moral code is. He was willing
to put the lives of countless other students at risk just so he and a couple friends could have
a quick chuckle. This is just proof that teenagers just seem to have no morals; they will do
anything and everything just to enjoy themselves.
Let us put an end to this. For everyone’s sake, before you do anything, think about what
possible ramifications it could have; nobody wants to suffer at the hands of someone who
just couldn’t resist their temptations. Be strong and fight that nagging voice. Just because it
seems like a good idea at the time doesn’t mean it is.
Have you ever heard the expression “guys can be a-holes but
girls can be pure evil”? Well I have
and in my experience it’s utterly
true. Sometimes I think…yeah I’d
like to be a guy. I could pee wherever I wanted and I wouldn’t have
to worry about how I dressed or
how much I weighed. But then I
think, with the games girls play
these days it’s friggin hard to be a
guy.
Today you never know what
to expect next from us. Today, there
are girls faking pregnancies to keep
their men, non-stop accusations of
cheating and flirting not to mention the double standards girls
have. For instance they could be
out all night or hanging out with one of their guy friends but the minute their guy even says
hello to another girl they are in for a world of hurt.
Come on girls, is this all really necessary? I’ve recently met a very nice guy who lives
with his girlfriend of two years. My boyfriend went to ask him if he wanted to come down and
watch a movie. He then proceeded to turn to his girlfriend and ask if he was allowed to go
down! She said ok. My boyfriend then asked if he’d be down in about ten minutes and this
guy actually turned around again to ask her if he would be! Thankfully she ended up saying
yes. In what kind of world does that seem reasonable? I would laugh at someone if they tried
to tell me what to do like that. My own mother doesn’t have that much control over me.
Then again you’ve got to consider the fact that guys seem to let girls get away with it a
lot of the time. Clearly there wouldn’t be so many girls out there doing it if they were unable
to keep their guys. Maybe guys really are just suckers for punishment. But where does that
leave us girls who aren’t psychotic and don’t really give a darn about what our B.F.s are up
to (as long as we’re fairly certain that it isn’t making out with another girl)? Are we, the
generally sane girls, destined to be alone because we don’t grasp the concept of being
moody and manipulative?
Well if that is in fact the case then I am quite alright with being alone. I’m not a sucker for
punishment nor am I one to dish it out. So to all you guys out there stuck in one of “those”
relationships, please get backbones and stand up for yourselves or stop complaining. It’s
your own fault if you stay and you’re only allowed to criticize the girl if you’re going to do
something about it.
The Hound
Saint John High School
Page 5
Features
Section
The Grade 9
“Mouse” Problem
Dealing With Loss
by: Lisa Cossey
Many of us have dealt with a loss in our time and all of us have different ways of dealing
with the pain.There are many stages which a person goes through to grieve.
First there’s the denying feeling. This is when the loss does not register in the person’s
mind immediately after the incident. Then there’s the feeling of anger, followed by sadness
and sometimes depression. These are all natural feelings.
Almost everyone goes through these stages but sometimes they can be changed around
a little or disguised a bit. Humor is sometimes part of a
person’s grieving behavior. An example of this would be when, in an episode of the TV show Home Improvement, Randy used humor to deal with
his grandfather’s death. He is so confused and nervous about his loss that
he isn’t quite sure how to deal with it
so he makes jokes. His brothers find
this rude but his parents confront
Randy and he starts to cry and break
down. So before you get mad at
some one who may be joking, ask
them why and chances are you will
discover that they feel just as bad
as you.
Though all these feelings are
natural, they can sometimes get out of
hand. Even if you feel like you are ok with the death of a loved one, that doesn’t mean you
really are. The feeling could sneak up on you. After a death you should just go see guidance
to make sure that you are really ok with it.
I mentioned the feeling of anger during grieving. That can become a dangerous feeling.
Some people can become so mad at themselves that they drink too much or do some bodily
harm to themselves. If you see someone who is not taking it well and may be using anger to
express themselves, suggest that they get some counselling. You may also want to keep an
eye on that person for a while.
Another feeling that some may experience is guilt. Some people feel like the death was
their fault even if it wasn’t. This feeling also needs attention because, if not looked after, it
can develop into depression, which could lead to suicide.
I guess what I am getting at is that all feelings are natural during the grieving process but
they should all still be looked after just in case. Now I know that I am not a psychiatrist, but
I have experienced many situations (either with my losses or my friends’ losses) in this field.
I just want to give you Hounds a heads up on a life experience that will happen to everyone
eventually.
Although our school claims to have
gotten rid of the mice that roamed our halls
last year, I am sorry to report that there are
still mouse-like creatures around. They go
through the halls getting under our feet and
smelling of rotten cheese. They are, if you
have not clued in, the grade nines.
It is true that most older students, with
few exceptions, feel contempt for them because they stop in the middle of the halls
blocking traffic and causing a lot of arguments. They sign up for clubs and events
but then suddenly stop going or never show
up at all! But can we really blame them?
Were we not like them once? No one
likes to think back to that horrible first year
of high school, when we were young, confused, and down right stupid.
Not to rant on all the grade nines, some
of them actually contribute to our school.
Last year for instance there was a grade nine
by the name of Sarah Orford, who had a big
role in our school’s musical, Seussical.
Going back to their bad side, the grade
nines are also either very bold or very timid.
It is impossible to tell what you are up against
when it comes to dealing with these creatures. If they are bold then you have to put
up with all their ranting about how they are
just as good as us, and if they are timid you
have to be careful not to make them cry or
hide under a staircase whimpering over and
over again: “There’s no place like home.
There’s no place like home.”
Just remember, when you get stuck in a
traffic jam in our hallways, take a deep breath
and say to yourself: “They’re only grade
nines. They will grow up just like we did.”
Page 6
by: Trisha Culbert
Saint John High School
Spring Fever
by: Melanie Smith
The effects of the temptations of spring
are obvious amongst today’s youth. With
the chill of winter winds departed and the
balmy days of summer approaching, it is often hard for teenagers to maintain the level
of concentration that is so crucial to the final
months of classes. Unfortunately it seems
that even those students who manage to attend their springtime classes cannot draw
themselves away from the ever so captivating view of the schoolyard.
Spring fever runs rampant through the
high schools, ushering in the ever-so-trendy
mini skirt and tank top ensemble along with
plenty of P.D.A.
Yes, these outfits
can seem adorable and perfectly school acceptable while
on the clothes
rack, but ladies,
the formidable
winter of highcalorie snacking
and weeks of inactivity may have led to an ever so unfortunate winter weight gain. So please, think twice
before you skimp on the extra layer of clothing.
Spring is a wonderful season despite all
the temptations, or perhaps, because of them
but just remember this; a lack of concentration through spring, could lead to the dreaded
summer school.
The Hound
Section Title
Features
School Uniforms for SJHS: Yes or No?
Yes!
by: Chris Weaver
Now, you might think: school uniforms are bad; they are an
infringement on our rights and freedom of expression, right?
Wrong. Uniforms might just help a school, more than hinder it.
Even though we wouldn’t be as free to express ourselves
through clothing, what is that? I mean, clothes are clothes, but
isn’t the individuality really within the person, rather than without? No matter how someone may dress, they are still their own
person, carrying with them their own bias and sentiment towards
the world around them.
Take for instance, Rothesay Netherwood School. I have a
couple of friends who attend RNS, and, though they are confined to wearing uniforms in school, they are very individual
persons. They are free, unique thinkers despite their school’s
implementation of uniforms.
Uniforms would also aid in the dress code, and (though you
may disagree with me) I would very much like to see the amount
of cleavage in this school cut down. Folks are going around
humiliating themselves by poor clothing choice, and making the
rest of us see things we would really rather not.
As well, those of a lower income bracket would not be resigned to shoddy clothing. Everyone would be dressed uniformly,
and as such, economic splits would not be as visibly apparent. I
think this would greatly add to the equality of the school (though
we don’t exactly have a problem with inequality; in fact we are a
very tolerant school environment) and would generally make it a
better environment.
Individuals would remain individual through expression of
the written word, or verbal communication, and as well we would
retain all about us that makes us individuals. It’s not the clothes
that make the man, but the man that makes the clothes.
The Hound
No!
by: Stephanie Donovan
School uniforms, should we have them? The answer is, quite
simply, no. We should be able to choose our own clothing. Yes,
some people take their freedom of being allowed to choose their
own clothing too far; showing way too much skin and wearing
way too little fabric, but that’s what dress codes are for.
All a school uniform will do is to turn us into conformists
and take away our freedom of expression through what we wear.
When I think of uniforms, I think of skirts and blouses, maybe
with a sweater, for girls, and pants and shirt for guys, likely red
and grey for us. I never wear skirts, and I like color, neither of
which would be allowed with uniforms. I like to be different, and
not look the same as everybody else.
We all know what happens when two girls wear the same
outfit: “Get my clothes off, NOW!” If we had to wear uniforms,
even if we had some variety, you would inevitably end up with
the same outfit as somebody else. Uniforms take away our individuality, and the variety in the clothes we see at school would
no longer exist if we wore uniforms.
With certain people, you can tell what kind of mood they’re
in by what clothes they’re wearing. My favourite outfit when I’m
sick or upset is my hooded-sweatshirt and my favourite blue
jeans. When I’m in a good mood, I want to wear bright clothing.
Traditionally, school uniforms are the school colours, and quite
frankly, red and grey are kind of dull colours.
So should we have uniforms? Definitely not. Why not? Because they take too much of our personality away, and what are
we without personality? I know not everyone will share these
views, but hey, to each his own...which means uniforms should
not be in the public school system.
Saint John High School
The Homeless
by: Joe Ellsworth
So here’s the situation: you and your
friends are walking down King Street on a
sunny Saturday afternoon. All of a sudden
your pleasant walk is interrupted by a guy
who hasn’t showered or shaved in God
knows how long. He comes up to you and
tells you he’s very hungry and asks for any
kind of money you have. Here’s the decision,
do you: A) believe his story of being hungry
and that he will in fact go out and buy food
with the money, B) silently question his story
and wonder if he’s actually just planning on
going to buy some mouthwash or a Colt 45
to get drunk off, or C) just blow the bum right
off and keep on walking saying “Sorry, no
money” when in reality you have 75 cents in
your back pocket?
For most people the decision is easily to
just keep on walking while others will give
up that precious 75 cents with ease. But right
now just try and think of what misfortunes
could have brought this poor guy to beg for
money on a street corner. Could it have been
gambling? Drugs? Drinking? Or even all of
the above, who really knows?
There is always the possibility that none
of these things are what made this guy come
up to you and ask for money. Echer Marcial
says, “Hobos are people who are just down
on their luck, but some are con-artists like
the lady who pretends to be blind and plays
piano.” So hey maybe this guy here is retired
with $100, 000 in the bank and is just doing
this for the hell of it.
No matter what this person wants to do
with your money, buy mouth wash or an apple you can’t help but feel bad for someone
who fell so far or gets his kicks out of pretending to live on the street. Just never forget, becoming a hobo is probably the easiest
thing to do in life, so try and keep your standards up. I don’t want to see you in twenty
years time asking for a quarter.
Page 7
Mr. Court:
Leaving the Building
by: Lisa Cossey
As many students have already heard, there are five SJHS teachers retiring this year, leaving us to
depend upon other teachers for our education. Mr. Court is one of those teachers.
Mr. Court has been teaching here for three of his 33 years of teaching, somehow managing to contribute
to most, or all, of his students’ lives. Whether he was teaching about our past in history class, explaing how to
burp a baby in Family Living class, or just telling his students the different ways to know when a baseball player is
going to try to steal second, he was always smiling and willing to help us.
Sadly Mr.Court will not be gracing us with his presence in the years to come as a supply, as many other retired teachers
do. In an interview he said, “I’ve been in school for 51 years. I think it’s time I spent some quality time with my family.” And it’s not
as if he plans to be totally retired; he will still be keeping his job with the city of Saint John, and is even contemplating running for
mayor some time in the future.
I asked how he would be able to slip in baseball stats and comments now that he will no longer have a class to preach to. He
responded with a saying, one that actually rhymes, that he claims is for Mr. Finley: “When the leaves turn brown, my team will probably
wear the crown”.
One thing about Mr. Court is his ability to connect with his students. Anthony Eatman, says “Mr.Court was the first person to ever
call me a poet, and if it was not for that, I would never have written all that I have today. Every day was a new day with me and him.”
The students and the staff are the things he claims he is going to miss the most about this school. When asked if there was
anything he wanted to say to the population of SJHS he replied: “Yes. The students sitting in front of me were more important then the
subject I taught, or the final mark I gave them.” We will all miss you Mr. Court and we wish you luck with whatever you choose to do
when you leave here.
i
n
r
i
t
e
R
Mr. MacGowan:
Holy SOHCAHTOA Batman!
by: Kalyn Martin
Hey look! There’s something in the sky. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s Mr. McGowan, flying off to save the world from the evil cats!
Well, at least he thinks they’re evil. I’m sure many of you have been in one of his classes. With his “Help me Rhonda’s” and cat-kicking,
ninja-smashing escapades, he’s hard not to notice.
For those of you who don’t know him, he’s the chalk covered, sweater-vest wearing, half balding, crazy man who’s always running
around the school with a pencil behind his ear and carrying about 1000 calculators in his pocket. Yes, he has indeed been seen carrying
that huge number.
The one word that comes to mind whenever I think of Mr. McGowan is: football. Yes, football, football, football! At any Greyhound
game, who’s the one stalking around with his camera, snapping photos and cheering on our Hounds? That’s right, Mr. McGowan!
So what does this mad master of a mathematician do for fun? The man can play tennis! Well, in his own words, he’s an “avid tennis
player,” even going as far as to challenge Jacquelyn Abraham to a tennis match. But I’m sure we all know who’ll be victories and it won’t
be the elder of the two opponents; that’s for sure!
And what’s next for this tennis master? Well he’s not leaving us permanently that’s certain. Mr. McGowan plans on coming back to
SJHS to offer tutoring for those of us who are not so skilled with the trig identities. Sign me up! Mr. McGowan also enjoys the art of
photography, especially when it means taking snapshots of our SJHS students in football action!
But seriously, anyone who has had Mr. McGowan as a teacher knows what a great guy he is; crazy as a monkey, and great! He’s
always willing to help anyone with anything, in any way that he can and he will be greatly missed. SJHS will never be the same without
you Mr. McGowan.
Mrs. Fillmore:
You Will Be Missed
by: Kalyn Martin
Usually every year at Saint John High, we students must say goodbye to one of our retiring teachers. Well, this year we are forced to say goodbye
to five. One of these five is Mrs. Fillmore.
Her light personality makes her easy to get along with, and as long as you follow the rules of her classroom, you shouldn’t have a problem. According
to her students, her teaching methods are easy to understand and follow, and therefore you learn more while in her classroom. She’s one of those teachers
who really cares about her students’ education, and is able to make them learn something new every day, all the while making the process enjoyable.
As a woman who loves to read, she also enjoys a good movie, especially those based on novels. The Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies are
among her favorites. Who knew!
After her retirement from SJHS, Mrs. Fillmore plans on dedicating her time to her family, kicking back and catching up on some reading. I know SJHS will
miss her greatly and we all wish her the best of luck in whatever she pursues after her retirement. She will be a part of this school forever and will be greatly
missed when she’s gone.
Mr. Hodgins:
Teachers
sre
disO
tu
notniH
The
The Man
by: Stephanie Donovan
We’ve all heard of Mr. Hodgins, that crazy teacher of economics on the fourth floor. After
teaching here at SJHS for a long time, Mr. Hodgins is now retiring. That’s right; all of you who had
hoped to get him as a teacher: Mr. Hodgins is leaving our hallowed halls at the end of this semester.
I have never had Mr. Hodgins as a teacher. I was hoping to get him in my grad year, but, alas, he is
leaving. However, my sister, brother and mother all had him. My mother had him back in 1976, for geography.
And although Mr. Hodgins is retiring, his memory is still sharp, because last semester, when my sister had Mr.
Hodgins for economics, he remembered my mother, after almost thirty years.
So, what is Mr. Hodgins up to after he retires? Well, he is going to see the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and
Tennessee, he’s doing a tour of World War II battlegrounds, and he hopes to go to British Colombia and Florida. In
short, he’s going to travel.
When asked how long he’s been teaching, Mr. Hodgins replied, “Since 7:30 this morning.” In reality, Mr. Hodgins
has been teaching for about thirty-two years. He teaches geography, economics and entrepreneurship.
I have heard three unusual stories about Mr. Hodgins; 1- He takes marks off for sneezing 2- He insists there are
snipers on the roof of the next building, and therefore the curtains must remain closed, 3- He claims there are little people
living in the wall between his and Ms. Stewart’s classrooms. Mr. Hodgins has confirmed all of these stories, but there
is sound reasoning behind each one.
Regarding the sneezing, Mr. Hodgins says it is completely the students’ choice to lose the marks. Mr. Hodgins has
had 190 sick days in 30 years, which is the most a teacher can have. He does not want to get sick, and therefore, if you
choose to sneeze, you choose to lose class marks.
Regarding the snipers, Mr. Hodgins explains that one summer he went to the Soviet Union, and there was an
incident in Tashkent where he took some pictures in a restricted area. The officials caught him and tore the film from his
camera. Little did they know he had another roll of film in his pocket. A couple of months later, they found out, and have
been trying to get the film back ever since.
Regarding the gnomes, Mr. Hodgins says his class was taking a test one time, and they heard voices talking. No
one in the class was talking, therefore it must have been the people in the walls.
So, Mr. Hodgins has been here a long time, and he will be missed. Watch out for the snipers Mr. Hodgins.
.E.S
Mr. Gould:
A Life Worthwhile
by: Chris Weaver
The spring of 2006 will see the retirement of one of Saint John High's most beloved teachers, Mr. Gould. His
retirement tugs at the heartstrings of just about everyone he has worked with. In my experience, he has a profound effect
on each individual he comes in contact with. His expertise in his subject is magnificent, and what is more, he can make it
exciting. Mr. Gould, in fact, brings history to life.
Almost any hour of the day, you can poke your head in to Room 318 and see a class completely enrapt, hanging on his every
word; his gestures and his voice telling a story in a manner and with charisma rivalled by few. Be it Alexander, Charlemagne,
Bismarck, or the story of any other character from the planet's story, Mr. Gould can make it as accessible and fantastic as any
Ernest Hemingway or Stephen Spielberg.
Mr. Gould began his teaching career at SJHS in 1993, upon the closure of Millidgeville North High School. However, his
connection with the school greatly predates this teaching assignment, as he is a graduate of the Class of '67. Looking back, he
says it feels as though he has been attending Saint John High since '67, as so little has changed in the school since then. The same
vitality present in the late 1960s continues on today, the same thread of life weaves its way through the students and staff. "It is a
privilege to teach at this school," he stated, "and an honour to have graduated from it."
Mr. Gould says that both the students and the staff of Saint John High deserve commendations. The staff is a talented group of
dedicated professionals with whom it is a pleasure to work, and the student body is committed to its school. Saint John High School is a
wonderful school, chock full of diverse cultures, but all show tolerance for one another, creating a microcosm of Canada in which egalitarianism
thrives. This leads to an invigorating, encouraging and nurturing environment for all involved, which will be dearly missed by this 34-year teaching
veteran.
But just what will he do once he no longer roams the halls of Saint John High School? He is quite an avid sailor, and it is certain that a good portion
of his autumn years will be spent on the water. He shared with me a plan of his, and that is to explore the Caribbean in his sailboat, with his wife Louise,
and celebrate New Years' Eve 2008 on the water.
On the subject of the school motto, "Vita Vitalis", Mr. Gould said that this is an impressively fitting title to his life story. "A Life Worthwhile" is
precisely what he has had, much in thanks to the students and staff he has worked with. He said, "If one were to live one's life and not know they had made
a difference, it would be so disappointing. In my case, this 34-year chapter has been filled with challenge and reward." Through his influence on generations
of students, Mr. Gould has indeed made a difference, and therefore has, by his own definition, led “A Life Worthwhile”.
In closing, to Mr. Gould, I would like to say, may "la forza del destino" propel you ever onward.
Section Title
Features
Tense on the Trigger: Paintball
by: Drew Chenier
Your fingers are tense on the trigger. You look out from the side of the bunker and pull
back in as paint explodes from the wood, splattering across your mask. There’s a -crack- in
the brush in front of you and you hear the whirr of an automatic hopper. You get a few shots
off before feeling that familiar sting against your arm. “Hit!” The round’s over. You’ll have a
new welt in the morning but now it’s time to go refill your hopper for the next game.
That’s the adrenalin rush all paintballers are looking for when they step onto the field.
It’s no wonder this exciting sport has gained such quick popularity. How did it start? As the
story goes it started when two farm hands, bored on the job, turned their paint-based cattle
markers on each other. After realizing how much fun it was they continued with it and over the
years it’s evolved into the game it is today. There are now many different levels and styles of
play as well as hundreds of different guns, upgrades and accessories.
Most guns fallow a basic design. The gun is comprised of the body, barrel, a tank and a
hopper (to hold the balls). Other than that all you need to play is a mask and some paint. Guns
types include “pump”, which needs to be cocked before each shot (like a shot gun), “semiautomatic”, shooting a ball every trigger-pull, and “full automatic”, shooting rapidly when
the trigger’s held. All guns come with a stock barrel about 8-10 inches long. The tank either
holds CO2, nitrogen or compressed air. Hoppers usually hold 200 balls but you can carry tubs
of extra balls if you need more. You can also get electronic hoppers that drop balls faster for
full automatic guns. Paint comes in many colors and there is even some glow in the dark paint
you can buy. The most important piece of equipment is the mask. Paintball guns are still guns
and you can get seriously hurt with them; that’s why most paintballers are very concerned
with safety when playing.
There are a few different ways to play the game itself. “Woodsball” is played in a large
wooded area where you have lots of room to flank and sneak up on other players. The other
common game is call “speedball”. It’s played on a smaller, clear playing field with lots of
bunkers. Which of these a player prefers varies from person to person but most players will
play both. Most speedball fields are usually made somewhere inside a woodsball area. Players themselves vary greatly in skill and equipment. About 85% of players are what are referred to as recballers (recreational paintballers) who own one or two guns and play less than
15 times a year. Then there are proballers who often belong on a team and play in tournaments. Proballers usually own at least two guns and play at least 15 times a year.
So, how can you get into paintball? It’s really not that hard but it’ll cost you. For starting
equipment your gun will run you about $100 if you get it second hand but a new gun will be
close to $150 if you want something decent. $40 for a CO2 tank. A mask’ll be about $30. You
can usually get a package for a bit cheaper than the overall price. You’ll also need some old
clothes. I recommend you go down to Roy’s Army surplus for some cheap camo gear. After
that it’s only about 20 bucks for a 500 bag of paint and $2 to fill your CO2 tank. If you don’t
mind a few bruises and this sounds like the sport for you contact me at
drew.chenier@gmail.com. Till next time, keep your head down and your hopper full.
Page 10
The Supernatural
Can’t find your homework? Crop circles
in your cornfield? Dingo eating your baby?
Do what everyone else does in situations
they can’t explain: blame the supernatural.
The supernatural refers to ‘exceeding
nature’; something that happens that
shouldn’t be possible but happens anyway
with no plausible explanation for it. If something does not follow the laws of nature, then
it is considered to be supernatural. Consider
the ‘X-Men’, if you will; they have unnatural abilities or skills that no other being could
achieve. This would be considered supernatural.
The supernatural, however, can also refer to the use of magic. Once upon a time,
the supernatural was a scapegoat for everyday problems. If one of your cows died and
you didn’t know why, odds are you
would’ve blamed it on witches; of course in
reality, the cow just died of old age or was
simply under-fed. The ‘Dark Arts’ would also
be referred as the ‘Occult’, meaning the
‘knowledge of the secret’. Most people
would fear the occult, believing they could
bring suffering upon themelves. An occultist, however, is just someone who delves into
the study of truth; believing that there is
more to the world than just what we see.
The occult, however, has lately lost its
original meaning, and now often refers to a
group of rowdy teenagers who believe they
can summon the ‘Dark Lord’ by receiving
energy from blood-drawn symbols in an
Saint John High School
by: Josh Sands
abandoned house, or other crazy ‘rituals’ in
which Dark Arts are practiced in hopes of
achieving some sort of supernatural abilities
(which, as most should know, is not possible. So don’t waste your time).
Some refuse to acknowledge the existence of the supernatural or consider that it
has too little an influence in our existence to
be of significance. Most believe that if a phenomenon is, outside the ‘realm of science’, it
therefore cannot be experienced and has little to no impact on our lives. A convincing
point is that our life, for example, does affect
us and any factors that would increase or
decrease our lifespan can be studied, thus
there is nothing supernatural about it.
Life is what you make of it, so the supernatural can only exist if you believe it can.
However, if you didn’t believe, that would
lead to a lot of skepticism during some supernatural-heavy movies and, besides, you’d
have nothing to blame your troubles on.
The Hound
Section Title
Features
Outdoor Pursuits
Because of the assembly on April 4
about course selections, everyone knows
about Outdoor Pursuits class. But what you
may not know is how much fun this class
actually is. I mean, it has to be good if you
get to spend so much time outside of class,
right? I’m not actually in the class, but I have
several friends who are.
On the weekend of March 25th and 26th,
the OP class took a trip to camp Holderville
on the Kingston Peninsula. There was a small
hike, cooking, staying up late...all of the usual
camping stuff, with teacher supervision. Although, there were some minor mishaps, like
certain people, who will remain nameless, arriving uninvited for a visit. Apparently they
thought that they would re-create a horror
movie scenario. The individuals in question
called a couple of the student campers on
their cell phones, and proceeded to say:
“We’re watching you.” Needless to say, the
campers were quite frightened, and got almost no sleep.
However, the individuals were caught,
and punished accordingly. All of the offenders got suspended from school, suspensions
ranging from three days to a week or so. So if
you have a friend in the OP class and want to
be with them while they’re camping, join the
class. That was the first time something like
this has happened, and it has now been decided that if you show up uninvited to a class
event such as this one, there is an automatic
suspension, lasting a minimum of two days.
Also, the police will be called.
During the outing, the class made shel-
The Hound
by: Stephanie Donovan
ters, had a campfire, went on a small hike,
and even prepared their own meals on a
Coleman stove. The kids cooked for the
teachers on Sunday morning, and cleaned
the bathroom when they were done. When
everything was clean one of the students
told Mr. Mahaffy, “I won’t lie to ya; you can
eat off the sinks.” The class motto is now “I
won’t lie to ya” as it became quite the catch
phrase after that.
How popular is the OP class? There are
twenty-six people, and almost all of them were
at the camping trip. The class is full of activities, as well as some classroom work, such
as theory, wilderness ethics (not leaving any
trace), cooking skills, and just about everything else you think you might need to survive outside.
The class takes three camping trips,
each at Camp Holderville. You can learn to
tie knots and how to make a shelter out of
snow, out of trees, boughs and the like; it’s
quite an interesting course. But you have to
have the time to spend. Aside from the camping trips, there are trips to Rockwood Park,
swimming in the pool, and scuba diving.
When asked what the worst part about
the class is grade eleven student, Erin Hunter
tells me that she has “yet to find one.”
Mother’s Day
by: Trisha Culbert
The time is coming to remember all of the sweet and unselfish things that our mothers
have done for us, to remember how hard they have worked to make us good people and give
us everything we need. Do you recall her giving up something she wanted because she knew
how much you wanted something else? This day isn’t just a day to remember the nice things
she’s done, but also to give something back, to do something nice and unselfish for her.
Now, I know there are many of you who are unemployed and wondering how you will be
able to afford a gift for your mother. There are many different ways to express how much you
care for her on Mother’s Day without having to spend a dime. Some ideas could include
making her breakfast in bed or cleaning the
house for her. Or, if you already do those
nice things on a daily basis, then maybe instead you could arrange a small get together
of her closest family or friends.
Another inexpensive idea might include
doing something with her that used to make
her feel happy when you were younger, something like watching a flick that makes you
both cry, playing softball or making up jokes.
I’ve come to realize that mothers love it when
their children share and remember sweet little moments they had when they were growing up.
So maybe you aren’t really that sentimental and you do have a little money in your
wallet but you are fresh out of ideas; maybe
you could take her out to dinner or to a play, show or a movie that she wants to see. Or maybe,
if you’re a big spender, you could take her to a spa for the day or the weekend. (Now for the
guys, you may not want to go with her but instead you can let her go with a friend while you
tidy up the house.) Any idea of taking her somewhere or buying her something should reflect
on the type of personality that she has. I’m quite aware that there are some of you out there
who may not live with your mother or maybe she isn’t around you anymore, so to avoid tears
or temperament there are some things that you could do to relieve you of the stress.
If you miss her and choose to have a sappy moment then you could watch some old
home videos or talk about her to people, such as other family members who also love her.If all
else fails and you realize that you aren’t sentimental and have very little money, a card can
bring her tears of joy as well.
If you have a caring mother, don’t ignore this day and try your best to do something
nice, after all she did bring you into this world!
Saint John High School
Page 11
Section Title
Entertainment
Section
Rick Mercer : My Hero
by: Evan Phinney
Rick Mercer, is currently the host of one
of CBC’s best shows and was once host of
another of CBC’s greatest shows. From politics to basketball and Tim Hortons, he’s covered everything on his shows. He’s one of
the funniest people on television.
Ever since I was a young boy watching
This Hour Has 22 Minutes with my parents,
I have been a fan of Rick Mercer. Now that I
am older and I actually understand his brand
of humour, I have come to respect him even
more.
His rants on 22 Minutes and The Mercer Report have become a staple of my
online-video viewing, and why shouldn’t
they? When Mercer first started doing the
Rants on 22 Minutes, they quickly became
the most popular segment of the show.
This segment was quickly rivalled when
the “Talking To Americans” segment aired.
It was so popular that the one-hour special
of the segments that Mercer co-produced
was the most-watched comedy special in
CBC’s history. Some of his most memorable
“Talking To Americans” segments include:
Presidential Candidate George W. Bush answering questions on Canadian PM “Jean
Poutine” and getting Presidential Candidate
Al Gore to promise to visit Canada’s capital
city of Toronto if he got elected.
Sadly though, Rick left 22 Minutes in 2001,
but he didn’t leave TV forever. He starred in,
Page 12
wrote, produced and directed the show Made
in Canada from 1998-2003. In January 2004
his Daily-Show-esque The Monday Report
debuted. It was later moved to Tuesday
nights and the name was changed to The
Rick Mercer Report. Rick wrote in his blog :
“We ended the season as the highest rated
comedy show on the network. Clearly some
drastic changes were needed.”
What else can be said about the guy?
He didn’t just..BAM..appear on TV. He
started his national career in a one-man show
called Show Me The Button, I’ll Push It, or
Charles Lynch Must Die at the National Arts
Centre in Ottawa. He then followed up with a
one-man show that he wrote called I’ve Killed
Before, I’ll Kill Again. The year that he did
I’ll Kill and was also the year that he started
working on 22 Minutes. He has also won 20
Gemini Awards for his skills in the arts and
he has won the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award. He donated the $15 000 prize
that he got from winning that award to the
LSPU Hall in Newfoundland where he originally started performing.
To sum him up, Rick Mercer is an amazing man. He is an excellent journalist, a hilarious comedian, and just a plain nice guy. Donating to charities, being a spokesperson for
various concerns. This man is a hero of mine,
and always will be. Everyone check out The
Mercer Report Tuesday nights at 8PM.
How Do You Like
Your Pop?
by: Delaney Aker
Most of you were bor n in the late 80’s
and early 90’s, so you were all here to witness and hear the pop of the 90’s. I call the
somewhat late 90’s a big pop era, because
we heard a lot of pop type music and pop
bands, such as the Spice Girls, Backstreet
Boys, and Aqua. But ‘pop music’ is such a
loosely defined category, because 1) it stands
for “popular music” a nd 2) it can be put into
many other categories such as soft rock or
pop/rock. A perfect example of pop/rock can
be found in The Beatles and The Tattle Tales
and I know that that is not the kind of pop/
rock or pop music we all know and love.
Pop music began way back in the 1950’s believe it or not. When vinyl records were
introduced in the 1930’s and CD’s in the 80’s, recorded music became largely popular, rather
than live music. Pop songs often make use of the 3-minute song to create hit records in the
Pop Singles Charts (Billboard’s Top 100). Pop music usually has an easy listening melody
and is, um, rather catchy. Pop music is characterized by a heavy rhythmic element, and often
involves electronic amplification, wh ile the melody line may also be dominant. It also refers
to popular songs that people generally enjoy singing. (What girl doesn’t know the words to
a Spice Girls or Backstreet Boys song?) It is radio friendly, memorable and easily marketable,
often with a catchy chorus. It draws from a wide range of musical influences such as pop/
rock, R&B, country, soul, rock, jazz, folk and more.
In my opinion pop music is slightly dead right now, but nonetheless, everyone (well
we girls at least) like to hear a Spice Girls or Backstreet Boys song every once in a while. Why
do you think we scream when they play Wannabe at the dances? We like it and we haven’ t
heard it in like ...forever. And come on, I know we all secretly want them to play Barbie Girl
...someday. I think that the age of the boy & girl bands was the best pop music era...yet.
Saint John High School
The Hound
Entertainment
Entertainment
The Weight Room
In every school, there is a certain level
of physical education that has been steadily
modified in the past 5 to 10 years. The purchase of “larger waist sized pants” and the
lack of effort in academic schoolwork are just
a two of the many developments that have
given parents and teachers a wake up call
about making changes in the school system.
Such changes and improvements are very
much needed in most schools but a few of
those schools had already started on the path
to a healthier future by building a fitness/
weight room and, rarely, a swimming pool.
Yes, every school has a gym or two,
but a weight room, according to those who
use it, is very convenient and educational.
All grade nines and tens get a chance to experience the weight room as a part of their
gym class and get to learn how it works and
how it benefits their school day and everyday routine.
For many, the first day experimenting
and learning about the weight room turns
into a lifetime hobby. For those who aren’t
so interested, it gives them a little more confidence and a better feel, so applying to a
fitness program later on won’t be so unpredictable.
Working out and getting in shape definitely motivates and keeps high school students on track and in shape. Don’t get me
wrong; you don’t have to pump iron and
chug down a protein shake every day- it takes
as little as a bit of conditioning in the gym or
on the bike, and a short workout.
Interested in other students’ opinions,
I asked around about why it is used so much
and why it is so admired by those who use it.
The Hound
Queen of Funny
by: Neil Rowe
Mr. Cormier’s strongest opinion about
the weight room is that it’s good for nonathletes who want to get in shape and feel
good about themselves or want to reveal
potential for a sport. He says ours is a very
good weight room and is a good size for a
school of less than 1300 students.
“I find it gives students a taste of getting in shape and feeling good,” he says. “It
gives them a goal. It’s conveniently in the
school and you don’t have to pay or join a
gym.”
Interviews with a couple of students
turned out well as they gave answers like
how it benefits the sports teams. They enjoy
the stereo, the friends, and the variety of
machines that work out pretty much every
muscle group.
Thanks to the healthier cafeteria menu,
it’s never been so easy to get in shape. No
money is needed and you don’t have to walk
uptown or bus over east. As a student who
loves working out because of the weight room
in SJHS, I encourage everyone to use it.
If it could only be true. You take a bite of
your burger and you start shooting flames
from your mouth. Wouldn’t that be the best
superpower? Or, on the lady’s side of things,
wouldn’t you love it if your significant other
was the one having the baby? Jonathan
Rodgers (creative director for the Dairy Queen
ads) must really know what he is doing, because these ads are putting sales though the
roof!
It all started about a year ago when the
executives in charge of marketing at Dairy
Queen decided they needed to highlight the
fact that their foods were “crave-able”. Boy,
did they ever! Babies fighting Daddy for a
Blizzard, men giving birth... all of these hilarious things have come about from the “craveability” of the DQ products.
“They’re pretty stupid and funny, but
they work,” said one student.
The key? The directors for the ads try to
find people who aren’t so normal as to be
forgettable, but not so over the top as to be
annoying. They got people who were “Just
like us.” And who is to blame them? Normal
people are funny, especially when the major-
Saint John High School
by: Evan Phinney
ity of the TV-watching population consists
of students who, like me, will laugh at anything.
For me, the funniest thing about these
ads is the fact that they are so true. Real-life
situations are definitely the ones that people
can associate with the most, and so they are
an obvious choice for advertising, and the
ensuing hilarity. When someone can make
you laugh and make you want to buy something from them, that’s where they make
money.
This is your basic thought process when
watching these ads: That was funny! I enjoy
funny! They sell food! Food makes me
happy! Funny makes me happy! This product makes me happy, therefore I must buy!
Dairy Queen has capitalized on this by
making some of the funniest ads so far this
year, topping AdWeeks’s “Top Spots” list
multiple times.
Dairy Queen has suffered in the past
years because of a lawsuit against it, but now
that they have their feet back on the ground,
they are starting to gain again, mostly due to
their well-designed, and funny, ad campaign.
Kalyn Mar t in
Page 13
Section Title
Entertainment
The Return of Digi-Pets?
by: Gillian Raymond
Remember back in elementary school when real, living pets weren’t good enough for
you? Or when your parents told you you “weren’t responsible” enough for a real pet. Maybe
you were allergic to fur? You didn’t want to have just some fish floating around your bowl
and call it a pet. All seemed pretty hopeless. Then the digital pet craze hit.
Who didn’t have one? I had about 15 at some point or another. There were so many to
choose from: dogs, cats, monkeys, pandas, those funny little aliens from Toy Story, and
those cute.... things that were on the Tamagotchi. They even had babies. I’m sure you had a
favorite.
They started off with the simple Nano,
which gave you a dog, cat, or baby to
choose from. Then the Giga Pet came along
with the traditional dog and cat, as well as
jungle creatures, dinosaurs, and their special 101 Dalmatians edition. Not to be outdone, the Nano came out with a new version of their Nano Baby that talked to you,
with an actual voice. And you can’t forget
the Tamagotchi, which sometimes turned
into regular pets, but other times turned
into things like bugs and weird lumps.
There were others that weren’t really brand name (or if they were I can’t remember) that
were definitely more advanced. I remember I had a monkey that could lift weights when it got
older, but it usually spontaneously died in the morning before it got there. My favorite was a
little girl; she got bigger and changed her hair and outfit depending on her mood.
Recently they made a comeback with the Tamagotchi Connection. You can hook yours
up with a friend and then your Tamagotchis will become friends. If they’re different genders,
they might even have a baby that you’ll have to take care of. They can go shopping together
and you can send your friends gifts. Endless fun there. If you wanna go buy one, hurry,
because they sell out fast.
Back in the day, they were so popular that they got banned from my elementary school,
so you had to leave yours at home and hope it didn’t die while you were away. But now that
they’re not banned, why don’t you get yours back out and start it up again? You know you
miss your old friend.
The “L” Word
by: Domini Munford
When you hear the expression “The L Word”, the “L” could mean anything: love,
lust, loss and all of these things are in Showtime’s hit drama The L Word. (If you’ve never
heard of the show or haven’t quite figured out what “L word” they are talking about, it is:
lesbian). The groundbreaking series follows a group of lesbian friends in Los Angeles,
as they navigate careers, families, friendships, inner struggles and romantic entanglements. Like Desperate Housewives, The L Word has a bright cast of talented, fun, &
fearless females, steamy plot lines, and a seriously fake town, but those are the only
comparisons between ABC’s runaway success and Showtime’s hot lesbian drama. Desperate Housewives is seen outside the dirty confines of cable TV, and it involves men.
Despite the absence of testosterone in the show, Showtime has had a hit on its
hands. The show is currently in its third season and has been ordered for a fourth
season. The fourth season is set to start production this summer and all 12 episodes will
air on Showtime sometime in 2007.
If you watch, or have seen, The L Word, you may wonder if guys (straight guys,
that is) have caught on to the show’s hot action. The answer to that, according to recent
polls on The L Word websites, is no. Most of the searches done for the show online are
85% female! You naughty, naughty girls. But don’t be fooled. Guys have watched the
show all the time. Most women think men watch it because they’ll get to see women make
out, but that’s only half. Most men will watch the show to do that or see what the buzz is
about. Then they’ll get drawn into the show.
The show mostly centers on Jenny, played by Mia Kirshner, who’s a recent graduate of the University of Chicago. She moved to Los Angeles with her boyfriend Tim,
played by Eric Mabius, to begin a professional writing career. Jenny’s life is turned
upside down when she attends a party held by Tim’s next-door neighbor, Bette, played
by Jennifer Beals, and Tina, played by Laurel Hollomon, who are a lesbian couple who
wish to have a child after seven years of dating. At the party, Jenny meets Marina, played
by Karina Lombard, who is the owner of The Planet, a local coffeehouse the girls meet on
a daily basis. Jenny is suddenly thrown into the lesbian community and a world she
never quite understood, that is until she begins to question her own sexuality. Other
friends of Bette and Tina are: Dana (Erin Daniels), a rising tennis player looking for love;
Alice (Leisha Hailey), a magazine writer who just wants to find the woman of her dreams;
and last, but not least, Shane (Katherine Moennig), a sexually aggressive slacker/hairstylist who just wants to find a girl for her own pleasures.
That all began in the first season and a lot has happened since then. Most people
will say that anybody who watches The L Word must be lesbian, gay, or bisexual, but
that’s not true. Straights do watch The L Word. Straight women will watch the show, just
to get away from all the testosterone in other shows; straight men will watch it just
because they find it interesting and shouldn’t be ashamed. The L Word is like Queer as
Folk for women.
Graffiti by: Joe Ellsworth
Walk anywhere in uptown Saint John
and you are guaranteed to see it at least once.
No it’s not a broken window, or a dirty pigeon; it’s graffiti. Recently graffiti has been
on the rise in popularity, which is good for
the artists out there, but it is not always the
greatest for business and home owners.
While graffiti is on the rise, the number of
police trying to catch individuals has increased also. My advice to those of you who
are currently tagging out there is watch out.
Don’t be stupid about it and mark up everything. If you’re stupid about what you do be
prepared for the consequences.
Page 14
Saint John High School
The Hound
Section Title
Entertainment
C’mon Gearheads!
Everyone has done it. Admit it. You know
you’ve tried it, and you liked it.
A lot of you even started doing it when
you were little. Yes, riding bikes has been a
staple in every person’s life, and we all love
to do it. Saint John has always had a good
involvement in the biking community.
We here in Saint John have three main
bike shops, Alternatives, Darlings Island Bike
Shop and Bike Works. All
three places offer excellent
prices, deals and service,
and all offer an excellent,
in-stock supply of bikes
and accessories. I spoke
to Glenn Trites at Alternatives about what he thinks
about the Saint John biking community.
“The city itself isn’t
very contingent to bikes
themselves... but [a good
community] does exist.
People are out there riding,
and especially with the
Harbour Passage being
finished, the connection
to the west side will be a
good thing. The city has a
lot of potential [to grow in the number of
bikers].”
All three of these shops also have race
teams. The Darlings Island Bike Shop has a
race team called D.I.R.T.. I spoke to Becky
Consolvo, part owner of the shop, and SJHS
student Ben Consolvo’s mother. “It’s a lot of
work [she laughs], but it’s a lot of fun and it’s
good publicity. [VeloNB] also has a “Citizen-
The Hound
by: Evan Phinney
ship” race in which someone who has never
raced before can pay $25 and race to see if
they enjoy it. It’s a nice way for kids to enjoy
mountain biking or road biking... and it’s a
challenge too, just to see if you can finish a
race... especially for like 10 year olds that are
riding the same course as the Elite Men.”
Bike Works is probably the shop most
geared towards harder and more extreme riding. They are probably the
biggest dealer of BMX
bikes in the city. I couldn’t
get a hold of them for an
interview, but I can tell you
from experience, the
freeriding crowd in the city
is growing yearly. If you are
interested in getting into the
groove of freeriding, come
uptown to The Circle on
any given night in the summer to talk to some experienced riders.
So folks, as you can
see the biking community
around Saint John is a varied one. From Roadies to
Freeriders to BMXers, we
are all the same. There isn’t
a better feeling in the world than coasting
down that huge hill with the wind blowing
on your face, taking you back to when you
had training-wheels. It’s a fun, exciting and a
great way to get in shape. So come on, get
out and ride that bike that’s been sitting
around in your shed for 10 years.
Happy trails everyone.
Advice from Romeo and Juliet
Dear Romeo:
Dear Romeo: My boyfriend won’t go to
school. He says that he’s too tired and he
can’t get up, and this worries me. How can
I help him get up to go to school?”
-Cecelia Rodriguez
Dear Cecelia: Other than telling him that if
he doesn’t go to school he’s going to fail,
I don’t see many other ways to motivate
him in the mornings that don’t involve being disruptive to his sleep. But, I do have
one suggestion. When you are talking on
the phone at night, tell him how much you
can’t wait to see him the next day at school.
Maybe the motivation of being with you
at school would get him going in the mornings? If you want to really wake him up,
call him when he should be getting ready
for school (try 6 AM or so...) and that
should get him going.
-Romeo
Dear Romeo: I feel like my boyfriend and I
fight all the time. When we do talk it over
he always makes me feel like its my fault,
even though its not. He’s so stubborn and
barely apologizes, and when he does he
does say he’s sorry he does it in a way that
isn’t sincere. What should I do?”
-Kaitlyn Smith
Dear Kaitlyn: If I were you, I would get out
of the relationship as soon as I could, which
is any time you want! Nobody deserves
such an abusive relationship. From what I
can tell in your question, your boyfriend is
a controlling person. If you want more of
an equal relationship where you can actually try and talk an argument out, you
should find such a guy any way you can.
-Romeo
Saint John High School
Dear Juliet:
Dear Juliet: My girlfriend has the worst
taste in music I’ve ever heard. It drives
me up the wall! She listens to what Ms.
Lewell listens to! Please tell me what I
can do to change her opinions.
- Chris Ogden
Dear Chris:Well I
can’t say you
should try and thrust
your girlfriend’s music
flavor out the window and get
her to fall in love with the kind of music
you like. Everybody has music they like
and sadly for you, your girlfriend happens to listen to it.
The kind of music you listen to
expresses what kind of person you are to
other people. You can’t just totally expect your girlfriend to fall in love with a
new kind of music and dispose of her’s
in the trash. What you should do is introduce her to the kind of music you like
and she may like it. Play it in the background while you’re chatting or just
hanging out, and it just may grow on her.
Plus, you should do the same with the
kind of music she likes and it just may
grow on you and you may end up liking
a few songs of that genre.
-Juliet
Page 15
Entertainment:
Reviews
Morrissey: Ringleader of the Tormentors
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
by: Chris Weaver
by: Scott MacLellan
Ever since the early 1980s, Morrissey has, with the Smiths, given us all manner of
musical triumph. In the last few years, he has slowly begun to fade, however, he is certainly
not sung out just yet.
This year’s release, Ringleader of the Tormentors is Moz’s eighth solo record, a followup to 2004’s comeback You Are The Quarry. Though this new record is a far cry from The
Queen Is Dead or even a solo release like Viva Hate, it still does have its moments.
Perhaps the most peculiar thing about this album’s release was it was first previewed as
a whole album, not on Morrissey’s official website, or even something like iTunes. No, it was
previewed on myspace. This aside, the record is still very good, especially the lead single,
“You Have Killed Me”.
Morrissey’s distinctive voice and lyrical style remain throughout this latest offering,
commenting on love, death, and the beyond. Truly a Morrissey record by every account, he
remains true to his musical roots. It isn’t the Smiths. It isn’t even quite up to snuff with early
90s releases such as Your Arsenal or Bona Drag. However, it is the best we can expect from
this aging poet, and is altogether a good listen.
Anyone who is a fan of Moz and the Smiths will definitely enjoy this record. Just don’t
expect the next Queen Is Dead. All in all, quite a good listen, and a lovely record.
It is the start of a new day. Unfortunately, the start of that new day is in a jail cell. With a
twist of fate, you are rescued by the Emperor and his royal legion, eventually sending you off
on your own to save the world as we know it. I, of course, am talking about “Oblivion”, the
latest game in the Elder Scrolls series of RPGs, or “Role Playing Game”.
It takes place in the mythical land of “Vvardenfel” - yeah I know, weird name, but the way
they present the land is phenomenal. It seems that the game is endless just like Morrowind,
the previous ES game, with its inconceivable amount of side quests and a terrain that keeps
going and going and going...The gameplay is real time, by which I mean if you click you’re
mouse you’re going to swing that sword or shoot that arrow. First person and third person
are the two visual perspectives in the game, which are pulled off quite well.
One of the features of the game that I was happy to see improved from the previous was
that spell casting, attacking, and blocking are all separate controls – it makes for great battles.
I’d say the largest flaw in the game is partly the leveling system, which is interesting but can
be annoying at times. Such as, you must use “light armour” to gain light armour experience,
or use an axe to gain axe experience. Other then that slight drawback, the game absolutely
blows me away.
I cannot even comprehend how huge this game is – the world itself would be hell to try
and cover on foot – but feel free to try, my fellow gamers. I give Oblivion 9.568 shiny swords
out of 10, for its amazing gameplay, story, and overall package.
Jenny Lewis: Rabbit Fur Coat
Tomb Raider Legend
by: Chris Weaver
by: Scott MacLellan
Some of you might be familiar with Jenny Lewis from her work with the indie rock band
Rilo Kiley. But earlier this year, she released her first solo record, Rabbit Fur Coat, which is
a record quite more than tinged with the influence of classic country music.
Now, this isn’t too much of a departure for Ms. Lewis, as, if you are familiar with Rilo
Kiley (particularly their most recent album More Adventurous) they do have a tinge of country to their sound. On Jenny’s solo record, though, her country influence pours out, through
her and her backing singers, the Watson Twins.
One of the highlights of the record is Jenny’s indie star-studded cover of The Traveling
Wilburys’ “Handle With Care”, featuring Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Ben Gibbard of Death
Cab For Cutie, and M. Ward, each singing different parts (as was the case in the original; the
Wilburys were a sort of supergroup comprising the likes of George Harrison and Bob Dylan).
The cover works. It works beautifully, and the album is worth checking out if only for this one
song. But truly, each and every track is a gem. If you’re a fan of Rilo Kiley, or even classic
country music in general, you will absolutely adore this record. I highly recommend it.
Just recently, the newest Tomb Raider game, “Tomb Raider Legend”, was released after
much wait by the series’ fans. It follows main character Lara Croft in her archeological exploration all over the globe, and bringing back memories of previous visits to the discoveries.
The graphics in this game are definitely the best yet. From the ancient ruins to the town
streets, I’m very impressed in the detail and dynamic lighting throughout the game. However,
the gameplay more than offsets that praise.
The control layout of this game is what I’d refer to as “terrible”. Auto-aim is constantly
on, and I’m not sure about other gamers but I prefer to control where my character shoots as selfish as that may be. Also, the enemies aren’t very intelligent which makes confrontations less then exciting. Although, the puzzles in this game do partly make up for where the
controls and enemies leave off. Not too challenging, but it does take some thinking and many
attempts to unlock them - which is what I think adventure games are all about.
Overall, I was more disappointed with this game than not, even if I get to control that
dreamy Lara Croft. With the its flaws in controls, enemies and over all gameplay, but the
balance for graphics and puzzles, I would give Tomb Raider Legend a 7.6479 Indiana Jones
whippings out of 10.
Inside Man
by: Lisa Cosey
Inside Man is a brilliant combination of acting, plot and suspense. If you are the kind of person who enjoys a movie that makes you have to use every last brain cell to follow, or least
the ones not preoccupied with why flammable and inflammable mean the same thing, then I strongly encourage you to see this movie.
Denzel Washington does a great acting job in his role as the hostage negotiator, who is trying to prove himself in the force after a prior investigation goes wrong. He was the big name
driving people to the theater to see this movie. When people come to the box office they say “give me a ticket to the Denzel Washington movie.” Working at the theater I know this 1st hand.
There was another name that was not so easily recognized but is becoming more and more well known as his career in films goes on. Clive Owens plays the role of the smart and calm
“bad guy”. He is the one who organized and followed through with the plans for the bank robbery. Being in movies like Sin City Clive has plenty of experience as a bad guy and it shows when
he does not lose his character once during his entire performance.
Page 16
Saint John High School
The Hound