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SmokeSignalsVolume 38 Issue 5 March 2007 
Index 
News 
Daniel Radcliffe bares 
it all in new role. 
Page 2 
Opinion 
Need college application 
advice? 
Page 5 
Sports 
The Steelers’ new 
direction. 
Page 8 
A Female 
President? 
Page 2 
New program gives PT students a jump-start 
on their careers 
A pilot program is currently being 
implemented for high school students inter-ested 
in careers in physical therapy. The ap-prenticeship 
program is associated with Mort-land 
Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine. 
Physical Education teacher Betsy Gunther 
is developing and coordinating the course. 
“The program involves training stu-dents 
to be physical therapy assistants,” 
said Gunther. Students will go to Mortland’s, 
where they will train for approximately a 
semester and then be assigned to a team 
or work with an actual trainer. Participants 
can choose to train during school hours or 
after school. “In order to get class credits, 
students must go during school hours,” said 
Gunther. Students who simply wish to volun-teer 
and get experience can go after school. 
This provides an opportunity for students who 
wish to pursue a career in physical therapy 
with a chance to gain hands-on experience. 
“This first year is just a pilot pro-gram, 
next year we hope to make it avail-able 
for credit,” said Gunther. However, the 
program is not open to everyone. “In order 
to be accepted into the program you have 
to complete the Anatomy and Physiology 
course and be recommended by myself,” 
Gunther added. After recommendation, 
candidates will be reviewed by a selection 
committee, consisting of Mark Mortland, Dr. 
Hazjus, Mr. Relich, Mrs. Gunther, and the 
athletic trainer at the time of the application. 
Five apprentices will make up the pro-gram 
in future years. This year, Senior Eric 
Photo by Rachel Horensky 
Vaughn and juniors Jen Clawges, and Melissa Carbonara will be partic-ipating. 
“At Mortland’s, we help out wherever we’re needed…we learn 
the fundamentals of physical therapy” said Clawges. Their instruction 
will include learning the basics of taping, icing, and other physical ther-apy 
techniques. Clawges, who aspires to become a physical therapist, 
is excited about the opportunity. “In addition to learning everything, 
I’m getting a head-start on what I need to do in the future,” Clawges 
stated. For more information on the program, contact Mrs. Gunther. 
Taylor Piedmonte 
Staff Writer 
News 
pt focus 
How giving 
are you? Take 
the quiz 
inside! 
Pages 6 & 7 
Juniors Melissa Carbonara and Jen Clawges work as physical therapy appren-tics 
in the new program. While working, the girls have the opportunity to learn 
the fundamentals of physical therapy: taping, icing, and other techniques. 
Report cards now only available on Edline 
Technology has 
influenced a chance 
in how student report 
cards are issued. Re-port 
cards are no lon-ger 
distributed through 
the mail - they can 
now be seen on only 
Edline. Parents should 
rely on Edline as be-ing 
the most complete 
and updated source 
for grades during the 
school year. Not only 
does Edline keep track 
of students’ grades, it 
also keeps and up-to-date 
record of absenc-es, 
tardys and early 
dismissals. As for the 
students, there are dif-fering 
opinions as to the 
pros and cons of hav-ing 
Edline accessible to 
parents. Senior Brent 
Kostak commented, “I 
don’t like having Edline 
available to parents. 
My parents can see my 
grades whenever they 
want.” On the other 
hand, many students 
use Edline frequently 
because they are no-tified 
when Edline is 
updated and they can 
“I don’t like having 
Edline. My parents 
can see my grades 
whenever they want.” 
Brent Kostak, ‘07 
see their most current 
grades. Senior Emily 
Smith said, “Edline al-lows 
me to see exactly 
what my grades are 
because my teachers 
update it constantly.” 
Business teacher Ms. 
The Edline website can be accessed by reg-istered 
students and/or parents. 
Roberta Veltri issued a 
letter explaining why 
the change was made: 
“Because many stu-dents 
made up incom-plete 
assignments in 
past quarters, teach-ers 
had to make grade 
adjustments after pa-per 
cards were printed 
and distributed. These 
discrepancies caused 
much confusion for 
parents, teachers, stu-dents, 
and counsel-ors.” 
To make edit-ing 
grades easier, 
teachers can make 
changes daily or 
even after the grad-ing 
periods end and 
Edline will be up-dated 
and acces-sible 
for parents to 
check. The only time 
printed report cards 
will be available is 
at parents’ request, 
for those without 
Rachel Horensky 
Co Editor-In-Chief 
Photo courtesy of www.bmuschool.org/jpegs/ed-line. 
jpg 
Photo courtesy of www.nndb.com Photo courtesy of web.mit.edu 
Internet access, 
and at the year-end 
to send home final 
transcripts. Veltri’s 
letter also noted that 
if parents or stu-dents 
need to reach 
teachers regarding 
grades, the teach-ers’ 
email address-es 
are available on 
class pages as well.
PT Reference 
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 
Smoke Signals 
Smoke Signals is produced seven times during a school year by the students 
of Media II,III, IV Journalism and extracurricular staff at Peters Township High 
School, 264 E. McMurray Road, McMurray PA 15317. Telephone: 724-941- 
6250 x.5379. E-mail: sitlern@pt-sd.org. 
Commentaries, reviews, and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of 
the author and not of Smoke Signals, its adviser or the Peters Township School 
District. Member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association. 
Co-Editors in Chief 
Kaitlin Houser 
Rachel Horensky 
Kara Krawiec 
Layout Editor 
Catherine McCarron 
News Editor 
Angelina Nepa 
Life & Style Editor 
Colleen Counihan 
Opinion Editor 
Brittany Beyer 
Sports Editor 
Sean-Paul Mauro 
Marketing Editiors 
Emily Bigley 
Nick Sikora 
Staff Writers 
Jessica Berardino, Bill Berry, Emily Big-ley, 
Ashley Czajowski, Garrett Dennis, 
Drew Karpen, Sean Naccarelli, Chris 
Portz, Derek Redding, Brendan Sikora, 
Nick Sikora, Renee Wunderlich 
Layout Team 
Megan Enscoe, Katie Gavlick, Stepha-nie 
Gillece, Lisa Lerario, 
Adviser 
Nicole Sitler 
20 
First Day of Spring! 
1 
Peanut Butter 
Lover’s Day 
Shenandoah 
7pm 
2 
Shenandoah 
7:30pm 
3 
Shenandoah 
7:30pm 
4 
Prom 
Fashion 
Show! 
5 6 7 
Faculty 
Basketball Game 
7pm 
8 9 10 
11 
Daylight 
savings time 
begins 
12 
PSSA testing 
13 
PSSA testing 
14 
PSSA testing 
Albert 
Einstein’s 
Birthday 
15 
PSSA testing 
16 
PSSA testing 
17 
18 19 20 21 22 
National 
Goof-Off Day 
23 
Boy’s Varsity 
Volleyball @ 
South Park 6pm 
24 
25 
Waffle 
Day 
26 
Boy’s Varsity 
Volleyball vs. 
Langley 7:30pm 
27 
Boy’s Varsity Volleyball 
vs. Ambridge 7:30pm 
28 29 
Boy’s Varsity 
Volleyball @ 
Montour 7:30pm 
30 31 
Maze from printactivites.com
News 
Nick Sikora 
Marketing Editor 
Good Morning, Ms. President 
Angelina Nepa 
News Editor 
Nancy Pelosi, the first female Speaker 
of the House, is now third in line for the 
presidency. While no second designated 
successor has ever ascended into the Oval 
Office, eleven vice presidents have. That is, 
one fourth of all vice presidents. The odds 
of a sudden upshot in status are very good, 
though probability of Pelosi actually becoming 
the leader of the free world is one in sixteen. 
Women are making leaps and bounds 
in politics like never before. Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice is one of the first women to 
be a feasible successor, holding the position 
of successor number four. Another woman 
who must be mentioned among promising 
political leaders calls herself Clinton. Senator 
Hillary Clinton recently announced that she 
would take the direct approach and campaign 
for the Democratic presidential nomination. 
The country, regardless of extremist opinions, 
will have to handle powerful female leaders. 
These women are elected to local positions 
or have been appointed. None have ever 
succeeded at the national level, but many 
have certainly influenced national affairs. In 
addition to Secretary of State Rice and Speaker 
of the House Pelosi, historically great women 
such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, 
and Margaret Chase Smith were effective in 
determining national policy. Margaret Chase 
Smith was the first woman to be elected to 
both the House and the Senate as well as being 
the first woman ever to be nominated at a 
major party’s primary. Women will eventually 
shatter “final glass ceiling” and win the office 
of the presidency. Former Chicago State 
Representative Maureen Murphy is famous for 
once having offered, “The reason there are so 
few female politicians is that it is too much 
trouble to put makeup on two faces.” 
All entries submitted by Angelina Nepa 
Spotlight on 2008 Presidental Candidates 
Outside 
Zulhaidi Omar, of Malaysia, decided to covert 
from Islam when he realized that he had been 
switched at birth and his biological parents were 
ethic Chinese Buddhists. Omar recently found 
that his birth parents were living only a few 
miles away when his biological sister noticed that 
he possessed unique family traits. Omar also 
would like to change his name to reflect his actual 
Chinese heritage. In Malaysia, his conversion may 
be difficult, because ethnic Malays (his supposed 
ethnicity) are considered Muslim from birth. 
A doctor in New Jersey admitted to giving a 
severed hand to local stripper, which she kept 
in a jar of formaldehyde in her apartment. 
The police conducted an unrelated raid and 
discovered the appendage, which the physician, 
Ahmed Rashed, stole from a cadaver in 2002. 
Rashed must complete five years of probation. 
WCBS-TV, a local New York news network, 
revealed that city inspectors are having a 
difficult time enforcing than the ban on the sale 
of exotic meat. In the course of a recent WCBS 
investigation, inspectors witnessed open displays 
of many forbidden meats, including, “Armadillo 
and iguana meat, cow lungs, smoked rodent and 
an unidentified fish paste, along with crates of 
turtles and a tub of bullfrogs, and occasionally 
endangered gorilla and chimpanzee meat.” 
The Saint Rose of Lima School, a Catholic facility 
in Rhode Island, recently mandated that students 
remain silent in the cafeteria. Principal Jeannine 
Fuller sent a letter home to parents, explaining 
that the rule is a result of three choking incidences, 
and that “the school’s priority is the safety of each 
child.” Students that disobey the rule and talk 
during their lunch period will receive a detention. 
Kara Krawiec 
Co Editor-In-Chief 
With the 2008 presidential elections 
becoming more of a reality in the not so distant 
future, many of Peters Township’s students 
will be able to vote and voice their opinions. 
However, students are uninformed on the 
candidates and as more and more politicians 
announce their candidacy, it is beneficial for 
everyone in the younger generations to gain 
more knowledge not only on the policies, but 
also the politicians themselves. 
One candidate that is causing 
controversy, but many do not know much about 
is Barack Obama, the U.S. Senator from Illinois. 
He has become well known for many reasons, 
one of which is that he is one of the few African 
Americans that has run for presidency. Also, 
his promise of a plan to end the war in Iraq 
has raised interest. However, what many do 
not know is that Obama has worked to start an 
open and honest government. He has worked 
for Ethics and Lobbying Reforms and within the 
first two weeks of the 110th Congress, Obama 
helped to pass the Legislative Transparency and 
Accountability Act, which will reform lobbying 
and improve ethics within the government. 
Obama has also shown a strong interest in 
helping children start education earlier, and 
put more emphasis on math, science, and 
technology. 
First Lady, New York Senator, Best Selling 
author, advocate for children and families- 
Hillary Clinton has done it all. So what’s next 
for Hillary? President of the United States of 
America of course. That is the ultimate job to 
add to her already long resume. Clinton has 
shown her determination in making a place 
for herself in the political world. She has also 
passed legislation to help track the health of 
our troops overseas to ensure that everyone 
is safe and not misdiagnosed. In terms of 
education, Clinton is pushing for more qualified 
teachers to ensure that everyone gets an equal 
education. 
On the flip side, Arizona Republican 
Senator, John McCain has also announced his 
candidacy. McCain is well known for his services 
as not only a Naval aviator, but also a successful 
and respected senior Senator. McCain feels 
that we cannot leave Iraq yet because it is 
America’s duty to get the job done. McCain has 
also introduced a School Choice Legislation bill 
that will help the neediest students with the 
lowest academic GPA in public schools in each 
state. These students will be given a $2,000 
scholarship each year for three years to pursue 
a chance at a higher education. 
It is important that, whether students 
consider themselves Democrats or Republicans, 
that they make an informed decision on 
Election Day. Any decision would suffice; the 
importance lies in making one. Voting is of 
the utmost importance because whichever of 
theses candidates are elected will dramatically 
impact the lives of everyone, not just those 
over eighteen. 
Harry Potter Angers Parents and Fans 
D a n i e l 
Radcliffe, star of 
the hit Harry Potter 
movies, who bears a 
striking resemblance 
to the drawings of 
Harry on the cover of 
each book, has won 
the hearts of millions 
of fans, and he is 
just getting started. 
Children idolize his 
character Harry, and 
he has flocks of Potter 
faithful appearing 
at each and every 
important Potter 
function. In a role for 
the recent play Equus, 
Radcliffe bears it all in 
a few scenes that are 
causing controversy 
from the parents 
of the children who 
idolize Harry. Although 
many aspects of the 
situation appear to 
leave Radcliffe in 
the middle of a life 
changing choice, he is 
expected to continue 
with the Harry Potter 
movie series, but 
he wishes to break 
free from the usual 
classification that 
follows child film stars. 
Although nudity in 
films and plays draws 
continual disproval 
by the parenting set, 
Radcliffe has landed a 
major role in a once 
well-received play. 
Equus, a play 
about a disturbed 
stable hand who blinds 
horses, is focused 
almost entirely on 
Radcliffe’s character, 
and with the gravity 
of a role like that, he 
has to do whatever 
is necessary to prove 
that he is of a maturity 
to tackle any role. By 
the time the Harry 
Potter movie series 
will be completed, 
Radcliffe will no longer 
be able to be known 
as the little boy that 
went to Hogwarts. 
Unfortunately for 
critics, at Radcliffe’s 
young age he must 
make a career out of 
his acting, and he has 
a long life to lead. He 
also must prove to an 
unbelieving audience 
that he can play more 
roles than just the 
role of Harry Potter. 
Radcliffe is looking 
to prepare for his 
future, and with the 
constant emphasis 
on preparation 
that students are 
constantly taught can 
Radcliffe be criticized 
for taking what is 
often a logical next 
step in an industry 
that thrives off of the 
ability of an actor to 
sell a production? 
Whether or 
not Radcliffe will 
surrender to the 
media firestorm and 
end his edgy roles or 
continue right along 
with them will only be 
determined by time. 
But for now, fans can 
look forward to the 
release of not only 
a new Harry Potter 
book, but also a new 
Harry Potter movie. 
Both release dates 
are scheduled for 
Summer 2007, just 
in time for his role in 
Equus to quiet down. 
Photos courtesy of istockphoto. 
Photo courtesy of americanpatrol.com
Opinion 
B. Beyer G. Dennis J. Berardino D. Karpen 
Would you eat a cloned 
animal? “ Throughout the past decade or so 
Watch what you eat 
He Said vs. She Said 
Nick Sikora Brittany Beyer 
“If I didn’t know it was cloned, 
it would be a possibility.” 
Kelsey Hoskins, ‘09 
“If it tasted good, I would eat 
it.” 
Brandon Frambes, ‘07 
“I think it’s fine because it’s 
for stem cell research.” 
Nick Sanflippo, ‘07 
“Well, who cloned the animal?” 
Senior trip controversy 
Drew Karpen 
Opinion Writer 
It is that time of the year when 
seniors begin planning for that summer 
trip they wait their whole high school 
careers for, the senior trip. There has 
been an argument if juniors should be 
allowed to go on senior trip or not. The 
juniors this year are acting like seniors 
and doing things that ruin the senior’s 
year. For example this year the juniors 
added a junior skip day, whenever in 
previous years there was no such thing. 
Senior skip day is a tradition that that 
year’s senior’s always have and never 
was there a junior skip day until this 
year. There are a couple of reasons 
why the juniors think that they should 
go on senior trip. The first reason is 
because all of there friends are seniors 
that are going on senior trip. Even 
though all your friends are going on 
senior trip, they deserve it because it 
is there present for graduating high 
school. Juniors still have one more 
year to go so I believe that they can 
wait one more year. And if you don’t 
have anyone to go with, you can plan a 
regular vacation with them that is not 
interfering with their senior trip. The 
second reason is because they believe 
that they won’t have anyone to go with 
in their senior year. I find that hard to 
the topic of cloning people has become 
a front-page battle. Stories discussing 
the “whys” and “why nots” of cloning 
create feuds within religions, political 
denominations, and even nationalities. 
While we continue to debate the 
goodness, or lack there of, that may 
come from cloning, the public is failing 
to see what is being cloned right before 
them: animals. 
If you disregard animal rights 
completely and find yourself grasping the throat 
of vegetarians worldwide think twice before 
you quit reading. The following is not in any 
way an animal rights enthused article bashing 
meat eaters for their inhumane ways. Rather 
it is concerning, the animals products that you 
may soon be ingesting for dinner. 
After a five-year study, the FDA 
has now come to the conclusion that 
cloned animals products are equal in all 
aspects to meat from normal animals. 
I find it difficult to understand how 
five years is enough time to decide the 
affects these cloned products will have. 
What about long term affects? OR 
people with certain health conditions? 
How can five years prove that there is 
no harm in the consumption of these 
products? 
Following the consent to place these 
products on the market, the FDA also settled 
on the regulations of labeling, non-mandatory. 
By law, companies do not feel should be 
challenge. If we are not informed of what we 
are eating then we mean, if there ended up 
being the return of the bubonic plaque, and 
we traced it back to originating in cloned 
meat, who would everyone blame? Our food 
suppliers? Why take the chance whenever it 
would be simpler to place a little label on the 
package. 
Brittany Beyer 
Opinion Writer 
St. Patrick’s Day 
How do you celebrate your Irish heritage on St. Patty’s 
I am 100% not Irish so I don’t plan on 
celebrating. 
Have you ever met a 
No, but I plan on hiring Lisa Lerario 
to catch me one because she is a pro 
leprechaun trap maker. 
What’s at the end of the 
A pot of gold! 
What else do you look forward to in March? 
The end of it, considering we don’t 
have a single day off. 
Watch Gangs of New York while eat-ing 
a Shamrock Shake. 
Yes. He tried to steal my couch, but 
he got stuck on the way out, but now 
were friends. 
Marissa Miller and of course a pot of 
gold. 
Track season and getting abs like LL 
Cool J. courtesy of Mr. Scott. 
Does March come in like a lion then go out like a lamb? 
March comes in freezing and goes 
out cold. 
Erin Bench, ‘08 
In like a lion and out like a beast.
5 
Smoke Signals 
March 2007 
Applying to college for dummies 
Woes of WoW 
Millions of 
people are playing 
the online role-playing 
game, 
World of Warcraft, 
nicknamed WoW. 
How can you go 
wrong with a 
game that lets 
you interact with 
millions of people 
across the globe 
while trying to 
fight all that is 
evil? Easy, you 
let it become a 
second life. 
In WoW, you 
create a character 
of a certain 
race and pledge 
allegiance to that 
race’s side (either 
the Alliance or 
Horde). The side 
you are on depends 
on the race that 
you choose. The 
Horde consists 
of Orcs, Taurens, 
Undead, and 
Trolls, while the 
Alliance is made 
up of Humans, 
Dwarves, Gnomes, 
and Night Elves. 
Both parties think 
they are better 
than the other, 
and both of them 
are facing the 
same problem: 
the Scourge. 
The Scourge is a 
continually rising 
group of evil 
Undead that are 
set on destroying 
the earth. They 
are not to be 
Applying to 
college can be the 
most stressful part 
of a senior’s life. 
This experience 
can become very 
time consuming 
and worrisome for 
students who have 
no idea where 
they want to go. 
Choosing the 
right college for 
you could require 
lots of help. If you 
don’t believe that 
this article won’t 
tell you anything 
new, you’re wrong. 
Some of these 
tips you may have 
heard before, but 
after applying to 
a maximum of 15 
schools, they’re 
ways that have 
been found to 
minimize your 
stressful time. 
During the 
summer you should 
schedule school visits 
to any schools that 
you have started 
hearing about or that 
you know about. This 
will help you get a 
feel of what kind of 
campus environment 
you would like. Visit 
a variety of schools, 
some big and some 
small, some single 
sex and some co-ed. 
Also include state 
schools along with 
private schools in 
your search. During 
this process, do not 
be concerned with the 
price, unless you end 
up liking the school. 
Also over the 
summer it is a good 
idea to start looking 
at commonapp.org 
and reading over 
their essay topics. 
Then proceed to write 
some of these essay 
prompts so you don’t 
have to worry about 
them along with 
schoolwork. This will 
also give you time at 
the beginning of the 
year to take them to 
a reliable resource 
to check and double 
check for errors. 
Along with 
the essays to start 
over the summer, you 
should start planning 
on what teachers 
to ask for letters of 
recommendat ions. 
You should pick core 
classes; teachers that 
liked you. I do not 
recommend picking a 
teacher that you know 
would write a good 
letter, but did not like 
you. Find a teacher 
that likes you, and 
that you know would 
say nothing but good 
things. Now if you 
already know what 
you want to major in, 
find a teacher in that 
same area to write 
one. For example, if 
you want to major in 
media, take media 
courses and have a 
media teacher write 
one of your letters. 
When the 
summer ends, 
start thinking 
about what 
interests you. 
Think about those 
classes that you 
look forward to, 
and the ones you 
don’t. That should 
help you gain an 
idea on what type 
of field you would 
like to pursue. 
Towards the end 
of September and 
the beginning 
of October, you 
should start 
applying to 
colleges that have 
your major and 
that you like. Along 
the same time 
period you should 
also turn in all of 
those counselor 
recommendation 
forms and 
transcript request 
forms. Make sure 
you check due 
dates for the 
schools you are 
applying to, and 
that you turn in 
the information 
to the guidance 
office early to give 
them enough time 
to get it out. 
The best 
advice to give to 
any upcoming 
senior is to 
c o m m u n i c a t e 
with your parents. 
Don’t try to do this 
alone. This time in 
your life can be 
a very stressful 
one, and to keep 
your head clear 
you need to talk 
your thoughts out. 
College advisors 
help with the CSS 
Profile or even 
the FAFSA form, 
but your parents 
confused, however 
with the Horde’s 
Undead, who 
have separated 
themselves from 
the Scourge. 
Throughout 
the game the 
player fights 
monsters, collects 
gold and treasure, 
and joins up with 
other people 
online to tackle 
a dungeon. The 
dungeons usually 
hold the most 
valuable items 
(armor, weapons, 
or loads of gold). 
The cost for an 
account is about 
$15 a month, 
which translates 
into $180 a 
year- a pretty 
steep price for a 
computer game. 
With normal 
games you spend 
a p p r o x ima t e l y 
$50 and then 
have it until it 
breaks or it no 
longer holds any 
interest. While 
some people look 
at the game as just 
an expensive form 
of entertainment, 
there are others 
who make it their 
second life. 
The really 
lonely WoW freaks 
sometimes even 
get married to 
people on the 
game. They either 
find another player 
“ College advice for 
juniors 
“Actually work in 
school your first 
semester, then relax 
and chill out.” 
Connor Tarwater, ‘07 
“Don’t let anyone 
influence your 
Mark Boardman, ‘07 
“Get everything done 
quickly because 
Josh Rush, ‘07 
“Find schools you like 
early and visit them 
early so you know if 
you really like them.” 
Matt Thomas, ‘07 
who is a priest in the game to hold 
the ceremony, or simply just say that 
they’re married. One wonders how 
Jessica Berardino 
Opinion Writer 
could do that or even your accountant. 
So instead of spending your money 
on help, you could save it and use the 
CRC in the guidance office. 
There are always easier ways 
to do things, like asking for help. Talk 
to your parents, college recruiters of 
the schools you’re interested in going 
Garrett Dennis 
Opinion Writer 
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/previews/pc/ 
world-warcraft/world-of-warcraft-a.jpg
Lending A Helping Jen Photo by Renee Wunderlich 
Photo by Renee Wunderlich 
Photo by Renee Wunderlich 
Photo by Renee Wunderlich 
Colletti 
Wes Anna 
Grade: 12 
Senior Jerry Scheller helps out 
at his church by teaching the 
children’s programs and being part 
of the cleaning team. “I feel like 
it’s my duty as a church member,” 
replied Scheller when asked why he 
volunteers, “Also, I like interacting 
with kids. It teaches them important 
lessons.” As far as the cleaning goes, 
Scheller says that he only has to 
dust and scrub about one Saturday 
a month. He feels that he is doing 
his part to contribute to his place of 
worship. 
Anna Colletti, also a senior, 
volunteers at the public library 
children’s reading program. She is 
a counselor at a day camp held at 
Peterswood Park, has contributed to 
the Sweet Sunday for the Washington 
City Mission, and goes on mission 
trips with her church. Her mother 
works at the Washington City Mission, 
which she says is why it’s easy for her 
to contribute her time in helping the 
less fortunate. “All of my activities 
last about a year- that is, some don’t 
go on all the time, but there’s always 
something to do.” 
Wes Schmid-Broome has gone 
on countless mission trips with 
his church, wears a SaveDarfur 
wristband, and buys items from the 
RED campaign (which is a collection 
of popular company products, like 
Chuck Taylor All Stars and Gap T-shirts, 
that contributes money to 
help fight AIDS in Africa). This 
ambitious sophomore also plans 
to help plan The Walk for Darfur 
this spring. Most of the charities 
he participates in are organized 
through his church. When asked 
why he volunteers, he answered 
simply: “Because I think it’s the 
right thing to do.” Jen Bozic is a senior at PTHS that 
makes a difference in the community. 
She helps out at PV teaching children 
and works like a teacher. She now 
individually tutors sixth grade students 
in the “English as a Second Language 
program,” this program is for students 
with parents that do not speak English. 
Bozic participates in these activities 
every Sunday for one hour. She tutors 
students at the Public Library or Peters 
Township Recreation Center. “I like 
to help the students speak and write 
better English so they get better grades 
in school and can feel comfortable with 
the language of their daily lives,” says 
Bozic.
Helping Hand 
Are you a giving person? 
Take this quiz and find out! 
Directions: Read and answer the following questions and circle the 
answer that corresponds the most with your personality. Then tally 
how many a’s, b’s, and c’s you have. Whatever letter you have the 
most determines your personality type. 
1. It’s Monday morning and the alarm is going off again. You: 
a. sleep the day away 
b. lay in bed until the sound of your parents voice is so annoying you wake up to indulge them 
c. wake up early; the idea of breakfast is calling you. 
2. Your elderly neighbor needs a helping hand with yard work. You: 
a. stay at home. If they really need help, they can call a professional 
b. begin to help your neighbor but your friends drop by and you decide to hang with them instead 
c. mow the lawn, trim the bushes, and water the flowers 
3. After school you: 
a. watch television until your eyes hurt so bad you can’t keep them open 
b. grab a bite to eat, begin your homework, but then go to the mall with your friends. 
c. go to a club meeting after school, then to soccer practice, and as soon as you get home you begin 
homework 
4. If you were an animal, what would you be? 
a. a sloth- slow and lazy 
b. a gazelle- always running around 
c. a lion- strong and independent, yet caring 
5. The perfect summer job is a volunteer-only position. You: 
Between 5-7 a’s= slacker Between 3-5 b’s= you help 
only if it will benefit you 
Answer Key: 
Between 1-3 c’s= Vivacious
Sp rts 
Sean-Paul Mauro 
extra p int 
Chris Portz 
Emily Bigley 
New direction for the 
Mike Tomlin was named the head coach 
of the Pittsburgh Steelers January 21, 2007, 
following Bill Cowher’s fifteen-year reign at 
the helm of the franchise. Over the past thirty-seven 
years the team has had only two head 
coaches, Chuck Knoll and Bill Cowher, but now 
it is time for Tomlin to lead one of the most 
prestigious franchise in all of sports. 
Prior to entering the National Football 
League, Tomlin gained experience coaching 
at Virginia Military Institution, Memphis, and 
Arkansas State. Tomlin got his start in the 
league as a defensive back coach for the Tampa 
Bay Buccaneers in 2001 under Superbowl XLI 
winning coach Tony Dungy. Tomlin remained 
in Tampa Bay until last season when he took 
over as the defensive coordinator for the 
Minnesota Vikings. In one year’s time, he was 
able to turn the Viking’s battered defense into 
a respectable unit in the NFC North. 
Tomlin’s first move as head coach 
was to promote Bruce Arians as offensive 
coordinator. This marks Arians’ second stint 
as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. The 
previous run was with the Cleveland Browns 
during the 2001, 2002, and 2003 campaigns. 
Over the past three seasons, Arian served 
as wide receivers coach under Bill Cowher. 
Tomlin also retained Dick LeBeau as defensive 
coordinator, a position he has held for the last 
three seasons. 
Like his predecessors, Tomlin was 
Former Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator 
Mike Tomlin was hired as the Pittsburgh Steelers 
new head coach on January 21, 2007 making him 
the first Arican American head coach in franchise 
history. 
hired relatively young, only thirty-four years 
old. Making him the second youngest coach 
in the National Football League, behind newly 
instated Oakland Raider’s coach Lane Kiffin. 
Tomlin hopes to follow the success 
of fellow young head coaches, Sean Payton 
and Eric Mangini. Payton in his first year of 
coaching won the AP’s NFL Head Coach of 
the Year Award for leading the New Orleans 
Saints to a NFC Championship berth. Likewise, 
Mangini took the New York Jets to the playoffs, 
just a year after finishing as the fourth worst 
team in the league. 
Some question Tomlin’s experience, 
but he remains confident about his abilities. 
NBA Playoff race heats up 
The NBA playoffs – 
like last year – will be classic. 
There will be colossal match 
ups and, undoubtedly, epic 
seven game series. However, 
unfortunately those match 
ups will probably be 
embedded within the 
Western Conference 
playoff match ups – and 
the Eastern Conference 
series will just be 
another formality. 
As the playoffs 
approach, the Dallas 
Mavericks and the 
Phoenix Suns, both from 
the West, are proving 
to be the cream of the crop. 
Both are on pace for 60 plus 
win seasons – and both seem 
able to continue their success 
into the playoffs. However, 
other western teams also 
seem capable. The San 
Antonio Spurs are obviously 
a team to be reckoned with 
come playoff time. Every 
head coach knows what 
they’re capable of, including 
legendary Lakers coach, 
Phil Jackson, “They’re 
comfortable with how they 
can play in playoff situations… 
They’re still a team that has 
to be considered very, very 
dangerous,” (ESPN.com). 
The West certainly has many 
contenders. 
The Eastern 
Conference, however, is 
noticeably inferior. The 
best teams in the East – the 
Washington Wizards, the 
Cleveland Cavaliers, the 
Chicago Bulls, and the Detroit 
Pistons – would arguably 
have a hard time making it 
as an eighth seed in the west. 
The legendary era of Michael 
Jordan, Scotty Pippen, 
and the dominant Chicago 
Sean-Paul Mauro 
Staff Writer 
dynasty in the east is over – and 
the Eastern Conference is having 
trouble holding their own. The 
NBA reigning champions – the 
Miami Heat – hardly seem 
playoff ready, as they’re barely 
even a playoff team as 
the eighth seed in the 
east. 
It seems like 
every major professional 
sport these days has one 
dominant conference 
or league. Professional 
baseball has the American 
league that always reigns 
supreme. The Western 
conference in the NHL 
never ceases to impress with 
its many dominant teams – and 
the most evident example of this 
comes in the NFL as the NFC is 
seen as particularly mediocre to 
the dominant AFC. In the NBA, 
this trend remains consistent 
as the Western Conference is 
loaded with great teams from 
top to bottom while the Eastern 
Conference is often over looked. 
However, regardless of the 
uneven distribution of talent 
demonstrated by the dominance 
Which team is going to 
win the NCAA Basketball 
Championship? 
CT: The defending NCAA 
champions, the Florida Gators, 
will win again this year. They 
have a 24-3 record, with an 11- 
1 record in the Southeastern 
Conference. A fluke loss to 
Vanderbilt was probably a good 
wake up call for this team after 
winning 17 straight. Going into 
the tourney on a big winning 
streak is never a good sign. They 
already have the experience of 
going deep in the NCAA tourney. With 
players like Joakim Noah, Taurean Green, 
Al Horford, and Corey Brewer, there’s no 
reason that the Gators shouldn’t repeat. 
SPTM: UCLA has the best chance to take 
home the national championship this season. 
Ben Howland, coach of the Bruins, emphasizes 
defense over everything. Dating back from 
his days at Pitt – Howland has always had 
the most physical teams in the country. The 
only difference now that he is with UCLA is 
that he has national championship caliber 
talent. Howland took a young team to the 
championship last year, and they have only 
gotten better this year. They always rise to 
the challenge of a big game, and come tourney 
time they won’t disappoint. 
CT: They always rise to the challenge of a 
big game? They lost by 16 in the national 
championship to Florida last year. That’s 
hardly “rising to the challenge.” Also, do 
you have any facts showing that UCLA is 
a national championship team, or are you 
just going to say random opinions such 
as “Howland has always had the most 
physical teams in the country?” Billy 
Donovan’s not a bad coach either-he has 
two NCAA Championship games under his 
belt including one NCAA Championship. 
The Gators are unquestionably one of the 
best teams in the country right now, they 
have beaten teams such as Ohio State, 
Kentucky, and Tennessee, and it doesn’t 
look like anyone can stop them when 
they’re at the top of their game. 
SPTM: Do I have any facts? How about the 
fact that UCLA has strong wins over Arizona, 
Washington, USC, Texas A & M, Kentucky, 
and Georgia Tech - while Florida has losses to 
unranked Florida State and Vanderbilt. UCLA 
has a strong array of guards and forwards 
all with a combination of speed size. UCLA 
guard, All-American candidate Arron Afflalo, 
who averages 18 points a game, can take 
over a game when UCLA is struggling. He 
has been leading them all season and will 
continue to lead them in the 
NCAA tournament. Did you 
say something about rising 
to the challenge? How about 
February 17; UCLA at 24th 
ranked Arizona resulted in a 
blowout 15-point win for the 
Bruins. I’m not sure if you 
know this but that same night 
Florida – “the hottest team in 
the country” – lost to regional 
powerhouse Vanderbilt. 
Vanderbilt? When did they 
get a basketball team? Are 
they Division I? 
The 2006-2007 NBA 
season is proving to 
be worth the price of 
admission. 
Bill Berry 
Sports Writer 
Photo Courtesy Of Andrew Rush / The Associated Press
9 
Smoke Signals 
March 2007 
SPORTS 
BRIEFS 
Bill Berry 
Connor Tarwater 
Derek Redding 
Brendan Sikora 
HOCKEY 
History of the Super Bowl 
Bill Berry 
Sports Writer 
This year 93.2 
million fans tuned into 
watch the Super Bowl 
XLI match up between 
the Indianapolis Colts 
and the Chicago 
Bears. The third 
highest audience 
in U.S. history, but 
the Super Bowl has 
not always been so 
glamorous. 
In 1967 the 
first Super Bowl was 
played as the Kansas 
City Chiefs took on 
the eventual runaway 
champions the Green 
Bay Packers. Actually, 
the Super Bowl wasn’t 
even called the Super 
Bowl until 1970 when 
the two leagues 
merged. Before this 
year the game was 
called the AFL-NFL 
World Championship 
Game. 
A lot has 
changed from then 
until now. We have 
had record-breaking 
attendance and bank 
breaking ticket prices. 
One thing that had not 
been altered was that 
an African American 
coach never led his 
team to the Super 
Bowl. That all changed 
when both Lovie Smith 
and Tony Dungy took 
their franchises to the 
most glorious game 
in all of American 
sports. This February, 
Dungy’s Colts won 
their second Super 
Bowl in franchise 
history, becoming the 
eleventh team to win 
multiple titles. Dungy 
also became only the 
third player in NFL 
history win the Super 
Bowl as a player and a 
The Peters Township Boy’s Lacrosse 
team has been one of the top competitors in 
the sport since the team’s inception in 1996. 
Tryouts for this year’s team were 
held in early February, and they team made 
an impressive showing in the Slippery Rock 
Tournament by finishing with a record of five 
and one. With their only loss coming against 
Western Reserve Academy, ranked 27th in the 
nation, Peters Township looks to defeat any 
team who comes between them and winning. 
Nevertheless, section competition 
for the Indians will be fierce with upcoming 
matches against teams like Mount Lebanon, 
Upper Saint Clair, and Bethel Park. P e t e r s 
Township varsity seniors Sean-Paul Mauro, 
Spencer Smith, Tony D’Abarno, and Kevin 
Wolcott are hoping that their experience will 
hurl the Indians into playoff contention. “We are 
really looking forward to this season, we know 
we are going to be able to accomplish things, 
like winning a WPSLA championship, this year 
that we have never accomplished before,” said 
Senior Captain Sean-Paul Mauro. 
“This is one of the best teams Peters has 
ever had and we plan on making a run for the 
WPSLA this year,” says senior leader Spencer 
Smith. The Indians lacrosse season begins 
in March with matches against Pine Richland, 
Chartiers Valley, and Ohio powerhouse 
Hudson. 
The 2007 Indians are loaded with talent. 
They have all top three scorers from last year 
returning (in Mauro, Powell, and Smith) and 
return three all-conference players. 
Indianapolis Colts fifth year head coach Tony Dungy 
celebrates the Colts victory is Super Bowl XLI over 
the Chicago Bears. Dungy becomes the first African 
American head coach to obtain a Super Bowl victory. 
head coach. He joins 
legendary football 
guru Mike Ditka and 
Tom Flores. 
If there is one 
thing an owner strives 
to accomplish it is to 
build a dynasty. The 
San Francisco 49ers, 
the Dallas Cowboys, 
and the Pittsburgh 
Steelers have all been 
Photo courtesy of i.eurosport.com 
Rising to the challenge 
Derek Redding 
Sports Writer 
The hockey team was unable to enjoy 
the success of prior teams this season. 
They finished the year with a 6-16 record 
following a 4-0 win against Erie Cathedral 
Prep on February 26. Coach Tingle hopes to 
get back on the winning path during next 
year’s campaign. 
Boys’ Basketball 
The Peters Township varsity boy’s basketball 
team finished up the season February 
twelfth against Thomas Jefferson. The 
Indians posted a 5-17 record and another 
disappointing season. They look to rebound 
next year with this year’s youth turning into 
next year’s experience. 
Girls’ Basketball 
The Indians girl’s basketball team ended 
their season with a 15-9 record. They were 
lead by sophomore sensation Emily Correal 
who had a huge season. They hope to use 
the experience they gained this year to 
have success in the coming seasons. 
WRESTLING 
The wrestling team had rough season this 
year. Largely due to the fact that they were 
forced to forfeit key matches because, they 
did not have enough wrestlers to fit the 
weight classes. The coaches hope for more 
success in the coming season. 
BOYS’ SWIMMING 
The boy’s swim team is continuing their 
trend of success this season by posting 
an undefeated record (5-0). They had 
convincing wins against conference 
opponents Upper St. Claire and Mt. Lebanon. 
The team hopes to carry their success into 
the WPIALS and states. 
able to reach the 
status of dynasty by 
winning five Super 
Bowls. The New 
England Patriots have 
been able to establish 
what many refer to as 
the modern dynasty. 
They won three Super 
Bowls in four years in 
a time of free agency. 
Where will the 
Super Bowl’s progress 
Photo submitted by Sean-Paul Mauro 
The Peters Township Indians’ lacrosse team takes 
a warm-up lap to prepare for their game. 
Although PT lost their starting goalie, stand-out 
Frank Cicero (who is now playing at Divi-sion 
I Providence College), junior replacement 
Michael Moretti should be ready for the chal-lenge. 
Strong showings from Moretti in their 
preseason tournaments has PT confident go-ing 
into their 2007 campaign.
P T L I F E & S t y l e 
Spring fashion means a shapely season 
Colleen Counihan 
Features Editor 
The weather has been more of a game 
of “Go Fish” than a generic forecast and global 
warming’s star appearance has forced many 
residents to keep both tank tops and sweaters 
in the same drawer for easy access. It’s hard 
to imagine an average spring blooming out 
of all this confusion, but fashion never stops 
for anyone, not even the environment’s mood 
swings. 
The runway’s spring previews began 
way back in the fall, but it is in these upcoming 
months that the styles will come alive. The 
outfits to fit the trends are different from 
the idealistic spring season that is commonly 
known for its blooming frontier of flowy, daisy-splattered 
dresses and powder pink flip-flops. 
The latest shirts and dresses range from stiff 
to subtly geometric and surprisingly, resemble 
the leaves of fall, instead of the tulips of spring. 
Designers Zac Posen and Burberry Prorsum 
see spring in odd shades of cream and gold, 
“I like to wear bright col-ors 
and flip flops.” 
-Emily Norton, ‘07 
but do not overlook the traditional garments, 
such as shorts and blouses. 
The most important staples of spring 
are also the most unexpected. Dresses are 
consistently seen in the trapeze-style (think 
triangular) and vary from floor-length to 
barely there at all. The most elegant styles 
are now paired with the most common ones. 
In other words, spring fashion should be good 
news for athletes because the sporty look is 
everywhere. T-shirt dresses are paired with 
high-heeled sneakers and tunics overlap 
cropped and striped leggings. A new emphasis 
on legs can mean both high-waisted shorts 
and a greater focus on pants. “Pants” does 
not mean baggy or tweed, but sleek, short and 
straight. Representatives for Proenza Schouler 
told Vogue magazine, “In a season when legs 
are so important, the only pant that feels 
right is skinny and perfectly tailored.” Spring 
clothing will definitely mean stepping out of 
“I like to wear all the 
bright colors and summer 
skirts.” 
-Amy Burzotta, ‘10 
Models show off the latest trends at the Spring 2007 Zac Posen (left) 
and Gucci (right) shows. 
“I like to wear wedges 
and stripped shirts.” 
-Emmy Phelan, ‘07 
“I like to wear colorful, 
ligh fabrics, fun and funky 
vintage, vintage inspired 
and classic.” 
-Catherine McCarron, ‘07 
Tattoos mark generations 
“It was not until the 1960’s 
that tattoos came into the 
American spotlight.” 
They are labeled as body ink by the 
nonchalant tattoo addicts, sentimental symbols 
by the one-time users and nightmares by 
concerned parents. Tattoos are a consistently 
debated topic of this generation, but through 
all of the heat they have prevailed as one of the 
most popular body adornments of the present 
and with no scars bigger than the ones they 
induce. 
The tattoo has proved to be timeless 
throughout all of its controversial history. The 
Egyptians saw them as a sign of beauty and 
took advantage of the permanent paint for 
uses of marking class and displaying art. The 
Japanese reached out to tattoos throughout 
their ceremonial and religious rites. Both 
men and women adopted certain depictions to 
signify a point in life or the tribe in which they 
are affiliated with. It was not until the 1960’s 
that tattoos came into the American spotlight. 
Sounds of the city: upcoming concerts 
Photos courtesy of style.com 
Colleen Counihan 
Features Editor 
Sean Naccarelli 
Staff Writer 
The images were featured all over television 
and magazines, though they were more of a 
mark of the deviants than a socially welcomed 
phenomenon. It was always the bully or the 
criminal that sported the bold engraving on his 
“booming” bicep. 
These stereotypical representations 
have not managed to halt the millions of non-criminal, 
non-violent men and women getting 
tattooed annually. It is not difficult to see 
the parallels between tattoos of the past and 
tattoos of the present. The latest customers 
go to tattoo artists to embellish their skin with 
art; they see beauty in it, just as the Egyptians 
did. Some of the most common tattoos are 
chosen based on a person’s outlook on life. 
Images of crests and ethnic symbols illustrate a 
significance of family ties, just as the Japanese 
used symbols to connect with their tribes. 
Tattoos are slowly becoming more 
popular and increasingly more accepted. It is 
a common misconception that all people with 
tattoos are criminals, but it is understandable 
since most criminals do have tattoos. They 
are now more commonly seen as marks of an 
experience, rather than marks of risky business. 
Whether they are accepted or avoided, tattoos 
are first and foremost a choice, one that many 
will live with for the rest of their lives. 
By now, you’ve all probably been 
getting tired of watching “Friends” 
re-runs, or Grey’s Anatomy (that 
show stinks anyway), so it’s time 
for something new! In the next 
couple of months many great 
artists are coming near Pittsburgh, 
with affordable ticket prices. 
Petersen Events Center 
Pittsburgh, PA 
Tue, 03/13/07 Nickelback 
07:00 PM 
Wed, 05/02/07 My Chemical 
Romance 07:30 PM 
Mr. Smalls Theatre 
Millvale, PA 
Thu, 03/15/07 Switchfoot w/ 
Copeland 08:00 PM 
Thu, 03/27/07 The Blood 
Brothers w/ Chinese Stars 
08:00 PM 
Thu, 03/29/07 Mae w/ The Hush 
Sound 07:00 PM 
Fri, 04/06/07 Anberlin w/ 
Bayside 07:00 PM 
Tue, 04/17/07 Keller Williams 
08:30 PM 
Sat, 04/21/07 Anti-Flag w/ 
Alexisonfire 07:00 PM 
Tue, 04/24/07 The Plain White 
T’s 07:00 PM 
Bryce Jordan Center 
University Park, PA 
Thu, 03/22/07 Dierks Bentley 
07:30 PM 
RMU Sewall Center 
Moon Township, PA 
Sat, 03/31/07 Taking Back 
Sunday 07:30 PM 
St Vincent College 
Latrobe, PA 
Fri, 04/13/07 O.A.R. 08:00 PM 
GIANT Center 
Hershey, PA 
Fri, 04/20/07 Blue Man Group 
08:00 PM 
Post Gazette Pavilion 
Pittsburgh, PA 
Tue, 05/22/07 Fall Out Boy 06:00 
PM 
Heinz Field 
Pittsburgh, PA 
Sat, 06/09/07 Kenny Chesney 
04:30 PM 
Wachovia Arena 
Wilkes-Barre, PA 
Tue, 08/14/07 Keith Urban 07:30 
PM 
Tickets are available at www. 
ticketmaster.com or go to any 
Ticketmaster outlet.
11 
Mr. Whalen reviewing a homework assignment with his second 
period Integrated II essentials students early on a Friday morning. 
License to Impress 
Coaching in the classroom 
Romeo’s Ex: Rosaline’s Story 
By Lisa Fielder 
“She is Rosaline, and Romeo loves her. 
Alas, I love her as well, and mayhap 
more, but Romeo did spy her first. 
‘Twould be dishonorable to purse her 
now. ‘Twould also be pointless, for 
‘tis Mercutio she desires.” 
Romeo and Juliet are the most 
infamous tragic couple of all time; it’s 
hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of 
them. But what of the other characters in 
the tragedy: Benvolio, Mercutio, Tybalt, 
and Paris? The story begins just before 
the lovers meet, with Romeo falling for 
Juliet’s cousin, Rosaline. Rosaline perceive 
him as fickle and decides to look elsewhere 
for love. She finds herself caught in the 
middle of a battle between the Montagues 
and Capulets and is knocked unconscious. 
Benvolio, Romeo’s best friend, sees this 
and rescues her, but when she awakens it 
is Mercutio that she finds in Benvolio’s 
stead. Thus begins a love quadrilateral 
between Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio and 
Rosaline. 
Romeo’s Ex is one of the greatest 
takes on Shakespeare that I have ever 
read, and is full of Shakespearean 
references and language, and even 
includes some passages from the original 
play. Lisa Fielder is an amazing writer; 
Smoke Signals 
March 2007 
Chris Portz 
Staff Writer 
Katie Ellis 
Guest Writer 
Teachers are a dime a dozen in a 
student’s life. By the time a student graduates 
he will have been through over 50 teachers 
and that is only inside the classroom. Every so 
often there are a couple of teachers that stand 
out. Mr. Whalen was hired with a resume as an 
outstanding coach and experienced teacher. 
He has been at Peters Township High School 
for a year, and already he has had a big impact 
in the classroom and on the athletic field. 
Last year when Mrs. Tylka was on 
maternity leave, Peters Township High School 
acquired a diamond in the rough. Mr. Whalen, 
a former Cedar Rapids Iowa teacher at Xavier 
High School, moved to Peters Township as a 
temporary substitute and within six months 
acquired his own classes, Personal Finance 
and Math Essentials. His charismatic and 
energetic attitude has earned him the respect 
of his students. He also takes on the role of a 
mentor on the athletic field. As an assistant 
coach, Whalen leads the highly successful 
Peters Township golf team. Whalen is the Bill 
Belichick of high school sports; he wins no 
matter where he goes. There is one exception 
to this analogy though; everyone at PTHS 
Sean Naccarelli 
Staff Writer 
Chris Portz 
Staff Writer 
Cartel-Chroma 
likes him. For example, he has coached girl’s 
soccer in Virginia and his hometown of Cedar 
Rapids Iowa winning a championship for each 
program. His resume is impressive both on 
and off the athletic field. 
His teaching style is unique in the fact 
that he teaches the material while conversing 
with students. “I like how he speaks his mind 
and is very blunt on the topics he teaches,” said 
senior Steve Plachecki. Personally connecting 
with a teacher is rare in the stressful academic 
life of a high school student, and this is the 
reason why Whalen stands out among the rest 
of the teachers at PTHS. 
Other than an avid sports fan and an 
educator, Whalen enjoys other hobbies such 
as cooking and finding good deals at Sam’s 
Club. He is thrilled by a simple hello in the 
hallways and students wishing a “Happy Half-birthday.” 
Mr. Whalen’s birthday is July 19th. He 
is always ready to give an explanation for any 
sort of problem, especially a math problem, 
whenever needed and he is almost always 
right although he still remains humble. 
As a modest man he will never say that 
he is the best teacher at PTHS, however. He 
gives others credit for him getting the job even 
though Mr. Whalen is more than qualified, 
having 15 years of teaching experience and a 
year of interaction with the students. “If the 
kids hadn’t received me so well and told the 
people down stairs about me, I would not have 
Photo courtesy of thecia.com 
Photo courtesy thestarscoop.com 
Coming out of the Atlanta 
shadows with a bang is 
Cartel. In June of 2006, 
they released their first 
full-length album Chroma. For only being 
a band for 3 years, most people consider 
Cartel pretty lucky to gain the attention 
and acclaim that they’ve received, ever 
since the release of Madden 2007, which 
had their hit song “Honestly” on the 
infamous videogame soundtrack. Cartel 
started around front man Will Pugh, and 
guitarist Joseph Pepper. They both were 
anxious to get out of Atlanta, but thought 
that it could never happen to a band that 
played shows sporadically in only one city. 
Their catchy choruses and melodic verses 
gained attention from one of the biggest 
labels in music right now, Epic Records. 
After signing to Epic, Cartel started to see 
the fans and shows rolling in. As every 
member does, the band first could not 
wait to get home, but after a while, Cartel 
adjusted to being out on the road. Now, 
they find themselves away from home 
more than half the year. Chroma was 
originally released in 2005, but Cartel later 
re-released it in June of 2006. With the 
release of Chroma, Cartel was crowned the 
number one debut artist on Soundscan’s 
Alternative New Artist charts. In 2005, 
Alternative Press hailed them as “A Band 
You Need To Know.” With all this energy 
and electricity stormed into their first CD, 
I’m sure Cartel will only become more 
Photo by Renée Wunderlich 
Many long-time 
007 fans were 
skeptical when it 
was announced that 
Daniel Craig would 
be the new James 
Bond for Casino 
Royale. There are a 
number of big names 
that Craig would be 
in the shadow of, 
including the famous 
Sean Connery and Roger Moore. Aside 
from the obvious pressure of the early 
Bonds, he would replace arguably one 
of the best Bonds ever, Pierce Bronson. 
But once again the creators of the James 
Bond series have made the successful 
transition from one Bond to the next. 
The triumphant transition is no surprise 
considering that the James Bond series 
has lasted 25 years accumulating revenue 
of $4,355,700,000 at the box office and 
even more in VHS, DVD, and merchandise 
sales. Craig’s Bond, in Casino Royale, is 
much more witty than his predecessors 
as he lacks the fancy gadgets invented 
for previous Bonds. He is more of a 
MacGyver than the usual 007 we are 
accustomed to watching. Craig uses an 
arsenal of arrogant remarks and clever 
comebacks instead of explosives. Bond 
22, also starring Daniel Craig, is already 
set to release on Novembers 7, 2008 and 
looks to have more success than Casino 
Royale. Casino Royale is sure to be a best
Voicesin the Hall 
A PT Minute With... 
Garrett McLean 
Kiersten Arnoni 
1. What is your favorite breakfast cereal? 
Rice Crispy bites, but they don’t make them anymore! 
2. What is your most watched movie? 
Green Street Hooligans. “West Ham til I Die!” 
3. What songs are you most likely to be caught singing in the 
shower? 
It’s Goin’ Down by Yung Joc. 
4. What is your biggest fear? 
I’m scared of dying in a fire. 
5. If you could pick any decade, what decade would you want 
to live in? 
I would want to live in the 2110’s, because I want to drive 
a flying car. 
What/Who is your good luck charm? 
If you were stranded on a desert island, what two things would 
you take with you? 
1. What is your most watched movie? 
The Little Mermaid. 
2. What songs are you most likely to be caught singing in the 
shower? 
My Humps! My sister recorded me once! 
3. Who is your favorite cartoon character? 
Dash from the Incredibles… He’s so fast! 
4. What is your biggest fear? 
Drowning. 
5. If you could pick any decade, what decade would you want 
to live in? 
I would like to live in the 1950’s, because I like the poodle 
skirts, and Zach Airhart said so. 
“My lucky underwear; 
I’m always wearing 
them when good things 
happen.” 
–Marshall Smith ‘07 
“My assortment of wild 
key chains are very 
lucky. The croissant is 
my favorite.” 
–Kelley Walker ‘07 
“My infamous white grill 
cover.” 
–Sarah Earley ‘07 
“My dog named Puppy 
Juice.” 
-Dave Searight ‘07 
“Buffalo chicken dip and 
Tostitos tortilla chips. 
I’d be in heaven.” 
–Garrett McLean ‘07 
“My iPod and my dog.” 
–Nick Sanfilippo ‘07 
“A bathing suit and, of 
course, my cell phone, if 
I’m not roaming.” 
–Leigha Krivacek ‘07 
“I would take Emily 
Bigley on my left arm 
and Rachel Horensky on 
my right.” 
–Connor Tarwater ‘07

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05 mar07

  • 1. SmokeSignalsVolume 38 Issue 5 March 2007 Index News Daniel Radcliffe bares it all in new role. Page 2 Opinion Need college application advice? Page 5 Sports The Steelers’ new direction. Page 8 A Female President? Page 2 New program gives PT students a jump-start on their careers A pilot program is currently being implemented for high school students inter-ested in careers in physical therapy. The ap-prenticeship program is associated with Mort-land Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine. Physical Education teacher Betsy Gunther is developing and coordinating the course. “The program involves training stu-dents to be physical therapy assistants,” said Gunther. Students will go to Mortland’s, where they will train for approximately a semester and then be assigned to a team or work with an actual trainer. Participants can choose to train during school hours or after school. “In order to get class credits, students must go during school hours,” said Gunther. Students who simply wish to volun-teer and get experience can go after school. This provides an opportunity for students who wish to pursue a career in physical therapy with a chance to gain hands-on experience. “This first year is just a pilot pro-gram, next year we hope to make it avail-able for credit,” said Gunther. However, the program is not open to everyone. “In order to be accepted into the program you have to complete the Anatomy and Physiology course and be recommended by myself,” Gunther added. After recommendation, candidates will be reviewed by a selection committee, consisting of Mark Mortland, Dr. Hazjus, Mr. Relich, Mrs. Gunther, and the athletic trainer at the time of the application. Five apprentices will make up the pro-gram in future years. This year, Senior Eric Photo by Rachel Horensky Vaughn and juniors Jen Clawges, and Melissa Carbonara will be partic-ipating. “At Mortland’s, we help out wherever we’re needed…we learn the fundamentals of physical therapy” said Clawges. Their instruction will include learning the basics of taping, icing, and other physical ther-apy techniques. Clawges, who aspires to become a physical therapist, is excited about the opportunity. “In addition to learning everything, I’m getting a head-start on what I need to do in the future,” Clawges stated. For more information on the program, contact Mrs. Gunther. Taylor Piedmonte Staff Writer News pt focus How giving are you? Take the quiz inside! Pages 6 & 7 Juniors Melissa Carbonara and Jen Clawges work as physical therapy appren-tics in the new program. While working, the girls have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of physical therapy: taping, icing, and other techniques. Report cards now only available on Edline Technology has influenced a chance in how student report cards are issued. Re-port cards are no lon-ger distributed through the mail - they can now be seen on only Edline. Parents should rely on Edline as be-ing the most complete and updated source for grades during the school year. Not only does Edline keep track of students’ grades, it also keeps and up-to-date record of absenc-es, tardys and early dismissals. As for the students, there are dif-fering opinions as to the pros and cons of hav-ing Edline accessible to parents. Senior Brent Kostak commented, “I don’t like having Edline available to parents. My parents can see my grades whenever they want.” On the other hand, many students use Edline frequently because they are no-tified when Edline is updated and they can “I don’t like having Edline. My parents can see my grades whenever they want.” Brent Kostak, ‘07 see their most current grades. Senior Emily Smith said, “Edline al-lows me to see exactly what my grades are because my teachers update it constantly.” Business teacher Ms. The Edline website can be accessed by reg-istered students and/or parents. Roberta Veltri issued a letter explaining why the change was made: “Because many stu-dents made up incom-plete assignments in past quarters, teach-ers had to make grade adjustments after pa-per cards were printed and distributed. These discrepancies caused much confusion for parents, teachers, stu-dents, and counsel-ors.” To make edit-ing grades easier, teachers can make changes daily or even after the grad-ing periods end and Edline will be up-dated and acces-sible for parents to check. The only time printed report cards will be available is at parents’ request, for those without Rachel Horensky Co Editor-In-Chief Photo courtesy of www.bmuschool.org/jpegs/ed-line. jpg Photo courtesy of www.nndb.com Photo courtesy of web.mit.edu Internet access, and at the year-end to send home final transcripts. Veltri’s letter also noted that if parents or stu-dents need to reach teachers regarding grades, the teach-ers’ email address-es are available on class pages as well.
  • 2. PT Reference Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Smoke Signals Smoke Signals is produced seven times during a school year by the students of Media II,III, IV Journalism and extracurricular staff at Peters Township High School, 264 E. McMurray Road, McMurray PA 15317. Telephone: 724-941- 6250 x.5379. E-mail: sitlern@pt-sd.org. Commentaries, reviews, and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Smoke Signals, its adviser or the Peters Township School District. Member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association. Co-Editors in Chief Kaitlin Houser Rachel Horensky Kara Krawiec Layout Editor Catherine McCarron News Editor Angelina Nepa Life & Style Editor Colleen Counihan Opinion Editor Brittany Beyer Sports Editor Sean-Paul Mauro Marketing Editiors Emily Bigley Nick Sikora Staff Writers Jessica Berardino, Bill Berry, Emily Big-ley, Ashley Czajowski, Garrett Dennis, Drew Karpen, Sean Naccarelli, Chris Portz, Derek Redding, Brendan Sikora, Nick Sikora, Renee Wunderlich Layout Team Megan Enscoe, Katie Gavlick, Stepha-nie Gillece, Lisa Lerario, Adviser Nicole Sitler 20 First Day of Spring! 1 Peanut Butter Lover’s Day Shenandoah 7pm 2 Shenandoah 7:30pm 3 Shenandoah 7:30pm 4 Prom Fashion Show! 5 6 7 Faculty Basketball Game 7pm 8 9 10 11 Daylight savings time begins 12 PSSA testing 13 PSSA testing 14 PSSA testing Albert Einstein’s Birthday 15 PSSA testing 16 PSSA testing 17 18 19 20 21 22 National Goof-Off Day 23 Boy’s Varsity Volleyball @ South Park 6pm 24 25 Waffle Day 26 Boy’s Varsity Volleyball vs. Langley 7:30pm 27 Boy’s Varsity Volleyball vs. Ambridge 7:30pm 28 29 Boy’s Varsity Volleyball @ Montour 7:30pm 30 31 Maze from printactivites.com
  • 3. News Nick Sikora Marketing Editor Good Morning, Ms. President Angelina Nepa News Editor Nancy Pelosi, the first female Speaker of the House, is now third in line for the presidency. While no second designated successor has ever ascended into the Oval Office, eleven vice presidents have. That is, one fourth of all vice presidents. The odds of a sudden upshot in status are very good, though probability of Pelosi actually becoming the leader of the free world is one in sixteen. Women are making leaps and bounds in politics like never before. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is one of the first women to be a feasible successor, holding the position of successor number four. Another woman who must be mentioned among promising political leaders calls herself Clinton. Senator Hillary Clinton recently announced that she would take the direct approach and campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. The country, regardless of extremist opinions, will have to handle powerful female leaders. These women are elected to local positions or have been appointed. None have ever succeeded at the national level, but many have certainly influenced national affairs. In addition to Secretary of State Rice and Speaker of the House Pelosi, historically great women such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, and Margaret Chase Smith were effective in determining national policy. Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman to be elected to both the House and the Senate as well as being the first woman ever to be nominated at a major party’s primary. Women will eventually shatter “final glass ceiling” and win the office of the presidency. Former Chicago State Representative Maureen Murphy is famous for once having offered, “The reason there are so few female politicians is that it is too much trouble to put makeup on two faces.” All entries submitted by Angelina Nepa Spotlight on 2008 Presidental Candidates Outside Zulhaidi Omar, of Malaysia, decided to covert from Islam when he realized that he had been switched at birth and his biological parents were ethic Chinese Buddhists. Omar recently found that his birth parents were living only a few miles away when his biological sister noticed that he possessed unique family traits. Omar also would like to change his name to reflect his actual Chinese heritage. In Malaysia, his conversion may be difficult, because ethnic Malays (his supposed ethnicity) are considered Muslim from birth. A doctor in New Jersey admitted to giving a severed hand to local stripper, which she kept in a jar of formaldehyde in her apartment. The police conducted an unrelated raid and discovered the appendage, which the physician, Ahmed Rashed, stole from a cadaver in 2002. Rashed must complete five years of probation. WCBS-TV, a local New York news network, revealed that city inspectors are having a difficult time enforcing than the ban on the sale of exotic meat. In the course of a recent WCBS investigation, inspectors witnessed open displays of many forbidden meats, including, “Armadillo and iguana meat, cow lungs, smoked rodent and an unidentified fish paste, along with crates of turtles and a tub of bullfrogs, and occasionally endangered gorilla and chimpanzee meat.” The Saint Rose of Lima School, a Catholic facility in Rhode Island, recently mandated that students remain silent in the cafeteria. Principal Jeannine Fuller sent a letter home to parents, explaining that the rule is a result of three choking incidences, and that “the school’s priority is the safety of each child.” Students that disobey the rule and talk during their lunch period will receive a detention. Kara Krawiec Co Editor-In-Chief With the 2008 presidential elections becoming more of a reality in the not so distant future, many of Peters Township’s students will be able to vote and voice their opinions. However, students are uninformed on the candidates and as more and more politicians announce their candidacy, it is beneficial for everyone in the younger generations to gain more knowledge not only on the policies, but also the politicians themselves. One candidate that is causing controversy, but many do not know much about is Barack Obama, the U.S. Senator from Illinois. He has become well known for many reasons, one of which is that he is one of the few African Americans that has run for presidency. Also, his promise of a plan to end the war in Iraq has raised interest. However, what many do not know is that Obama has worked to start an open and honest government. He has worked for Ethics and Lobbying Reforms and within the first two weeks of the 110th Congress, Obama helped to pass the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act, which will reform lobbying and improve ethics within the government. Obama has also shown a strong interest in helping children start education earlier, and put more emphasis on math, science, and technology. First Lady, New York Senator, Best Selling author, advocate for children and families- Hillary Clinton has done it all. So what’s next for Hillary? President of the United States of America of course. That is the ultimate job to add to her already long resume. Clinton has shown her determination in making a place for herself in the political world. She has also passed legislation to help track the health of our troops overseas to ensure that everyone is safe and not misdiagnosed. In terms of education, Clinton is pushing for more qualified teachers to ensure that everyone gets an equal education. On the flip side, Arizona Republican Senator, John McCain has also announced his candidacy. McCain is well known for his services as not only a Naval aviator, but also a successful and respected senior Senator. McCain feels that we cannot leave Iraq yet because it is America’s duty to get the job done. McCain has also introduced a School Choice Legislation bill that will help the neediest students with the lowest academic GPA in public schools in each state. These students will be given a $2,000 scholarship each year for three years to pursue a chance at a higher education. It is important that, whether students consider themselves Democrats or Republicans, that they make an informed decision on Election Day. Any decision would suffice; the importance lies in making one. Voting is of the utmost importance because whichever of theses candidates are elected will dramatically impact the lives of everyone, not just those over eighteen. Harry Potter Angers Parents and Fans D a n i e l Radcliffe, star of the hit Harry Potter movies, who bears a striking resemblance to the drawings of Harry on the cover of each book, has won the hearts of millions of fans, and he is just getting started. Children idolize his character Harry, and he has flocks of Potter faithful appearing at each and every important Potter function. In a role for the recent play Equus, Radcliffe bears it all in a few scenes that are causing controversy from the parents of the children who idolize Harry. Although many aspects of the situation appear to leave Radcliffe in the middle of a life changing choice, he is expected to continue with the Harry Potter movie series, but he wishes to break free from the usual classification that follows child film stars. Although nudity in films and plays draws continual disproval by the parenting set, Radcliffe has landed a major role in a once well-received play. Equus, a play about a disturbed stable hand who blinds horses, is focused almost entirely on Radcliffe’s character, and with the gravity of a role like that, he has to do whatever is necessary to prove that he is of a maturity to tackle any role. By the time the Harry Potter movie series will be completed, Radcliffe will no longer be able to be known as the little boy that went to Hogwarts. Unfortunately for critics, at Radcliffe’s young age he must make a career out of his acting, and he has a long life to lead. He also must prove to an unbelieving audience that he can play more roles than just the role of Harry Potter. Radcliffe is looking to prepare for his future, and with the constant emphasis on preparation that students are constantly taught can Radcliffe be criticized for taking what is often a logical next step in an industry that thrives off of the ability of an actor to sell a production? Whether or not Radcliffe will surrender to the media firestorm and end his edgy roles or continue right along with them will only be determined by time. But for now, fans can look forward to the release of not only a new Harry Potter book, but also a new Harry Potter movie. Both release dates are scheduled for Summer 2007, just in time for his role in Equus to quiet down. Photos courtesy of istockphoto. Photo courtesy of americanpatrol.com
  • 4. Opinion B. Beyer G. Dennis J. Berardino D. Karpen Would you eat a cloned animal? “ Throughout the past decade or so Watch what you eat He Said vs. She Said Nick Sikora Brittany Beyer “If I didn’t know it was cloned, it would be a possibility.” Kelsey Hoskins, ‘09 “If it tasted good, I would eat it.” Brandon Frambes, ‘07 “I think it’s fine because it’s for stem cell research.” Nick Sanflippo, ‘07 “Well, who cloned the animal?” Senior trip controversy Drew Karpen Opinion Writer It is that time of the year when seniors begin planning for that summer trip they wait their whole high school careers for, the senior trip. There has been an argument if juniors should be allowed to go on senior trip or not. The juniors this year are acting like seniors and doing things that ruin the senior’s year. For example this year the juniors added a junior skip day, whenever in previous years there was no such thing. Senior skip day is a tradition that that year’s senior’s always have and never was there a junior skip day until this year. There are a couple of reasons why the juniors think that they should go on senior trip. The first reason is because all of there friends are seniors that are going on senior trip. Even though all your friends are going on senior trip, they deserve it because it is there present for graduating high school. Juniors still have one more year to go so I believe that they can wait one more year. And if you don’t have anyone to go with, you can plan a regular vacation with them that is not interfering with their senior trip. The second reason is because they believe that they won’t have anyone to go with in their senior year. I find that hard to the topic of cloning people has become a front-page battle. Stories discussing the “whys” and “why nots” of cloning create feuds within religions, political denominations, and even nationalities. While we continue to debate the goodness, or lack there of, that may come from cloning, the public is failing to see what is being cloned right before them: animals. If you disregard animal rights completely and find yourself grasping the throat of vegetarians worldwide think twice before you quit reading. The following is not in any way an animal rights enthused article bashing meat eaters for their inhumane ways. Rather it is concerning, the animals products that you may soon be ingesting for dinner. After a five-year study, the FDA has now come to the conclusion that cloned animals products are equal in all aspects to meat from normal animals. I find it difficult to understand how five years is enough time to decide the affects these cloned products will have. What about long term affects? OR people with certain health conditions? How can five years prove that there is no harm in the consumption of these products? Following the consent to place these products on the market, the FDA also settled on the regulations of labeling, non-mandatory. By law, companies do not feel should be challenge. If we are not informed of what we are eating then we mean, if there ended up being the return of the bubonic plaque, and we traced it back to originating in cloned meat, who would everyone blame? Our food suppliers? Why take the chance whenever it would be simpler to place a little label on the package. Brittany Beyer Opinion Writer St. Patrick’s Day How do you celebrate your Irish heritage on St. Patty’s I am 100% not Irish so I don’t plan on celebrating. Have you ever met a No, but I plan on hiring Lisa Lerario to catch me one because she is a pro leprechaun trap maker. What’s at the end of the A pot of gold! What else do you look forward to in March? The end of it, considering we don’t have a single day off. Watch Gangs of New York while eat-ing a Shamrock Shake. Yes. He tried to steal my couch, but he got stuck on the way out, but now were friends. Marissa Miller and of course a pot of gold. Track season and getting abs like LL Cool J. courtesy of Mr. Scott. Does March come in like a lion then go out like a lamb? March comes in freezing and goes out cold. Erin Bench, ‘08 In like a lion and out like a beast.
  • 5. 5 Smoke Signals March 2007 Applying to college for dummies Woes of WoW Millions of people are playing the online role-playing game, World of Warcraft, nicknamed WoW. How can you go wrong with a game that lets you interact with millions of people across the globe while trying to fight all that is evil? Easy, you let it become a second life. In WoW, you create a character of a certain race and pledge allegiance to that race’s side (either the Alliance or Horde). The side you are on depends on the race that you choose. The Horde consists of Orcs, Taurens, Undead, and Trolls, while the Alliance is made up of Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Night Elves. Both parties think they are better than the other, and both of them are facing the same problem: the Scourge. The Scourge is a continually rising group of evil Undead that are set on destroying the earth. They are not to be Applying to college can be the most stressful part of a senior’s life. This experience can become very time consuming and worrisome for students who have no idea where they want to go. Choosing the right college for you could require lots of help. If you don’t believe that this article won’t tell you anything new, you’re wrong. Some of these tips you may have heard before, but after applying to a maximum of 15 schools, they’re ways that have been found to minimize your stressful time. During the summer you should schedule school visits to any schools that you have started hearing about or that you know about. This will help you get a feel of what kind of campus environment you would like. Visit a variety of schools, some big and some small, some single sex and some co-ed. Also include state schools along with private schools in your search. During this process, do not be concerned with the price, unless you end up liking the school. Also over the summer it is a good idea to start looking at commonapp.org and reading over their essay topics. Then proceed to write some of these essay prompts so you don’t have to worry about them along with schoolwork. This will also give you time at the beginning of the year to take them to a reliable resource to check and double check for errors. Along with the essays to start over the summer, you should start planning on what teachers to ask for letters of recommendat ions. You should pick core classes; teachers that liked you. I do not recommend picking a teacher that you know would write a good letter, but did not like you. Find a teacher that likes you, and that you know would say nothing but good things. Now if you already know what you want to major in, find a teacher in that same area to write one. For example, if you want to major in media, take media courses and have a media teacher write one of your letters. When the summer ends, start thinking about what interests you. Think about those classes that you look forward to, and the ones you don’t. That should help you gain an idea on what type of field you would like to pursue. Towards the end of September and the beginning of October, you should start applying to colleges that have your major and that you like. Along the same time period you should also turn in all of those counselor recommendation forms and transcript request forms. Make sure you check due dates for the schools you are applying to, and that you turn in the information to the guidance office early to give them enough time to get it out. The best advice to give to any upcoming senior is to c o m m u n i c a t e with your parents. Don’t try to do this alone. This time in your life can be a very stressful one, and to keep your head clear you need to talk your thoughts out. College advisors help with the CSS Profile or even the FAFSA form, but your parents confused, however with the Horde’s Undead, who have separated themselves from the Scourge. Throughout the game the player fights monsters, collects gold and treasure, and joins up with other people online to tackle a dungeon. The dungeons usually hold the most valuable items (armor, weapons, or loads of gold). The cost for an account is about $15 a month, which translates into $180 a year- a pretty steep price for a computer game. With normal games you spend a p p r o x ima t e l y $50 and then have it until it breaks or it no longer holds any interest. While some people look at the game as just an expensive form of entertainment, there are others who make it their second life. The really lonely WoW freaks sometimes even get married to people on the game. They either find another player “ College advice for juniors “Actually work in school your first semester, then relax and chill out.” Connor Tarwater, ‘07 “Don’t let anyone influence your Mark Boardman, ‘07 “Get everything done quickly because Josh Rush, ‘07 “Find schools you like early and visit them early so you know if you really like them.” Matt Thomas, ‘07 who is a priest in the game to hold the ceremony, or simply just say that they’re married. One wonders how Jessica Berardino Opinion Writer could do that or even your accountant. So instead of spending your money on help, you could save it and use the CRC in the guidance office. There are always easier ways to do things, like asking for help. Talk to your parents, college recruiters of the schools you’re interested in going Garrett Dennis Opinion Writer http://www.the-nextlevel.com/previews/pc/ world-warcraft/world-of-warcraft-a.jpg
  • 6. Lending A Helping Jen Photo by Renee Wunderlich Photo by Renee Wunderlich Photo by Renee Wunderlich Photo by Renee Wunderlich Colletti Wes Anna Grade: 12 Senior Jerry Scheller helps out at his church by teaching the children’s programs and being part of the cleaning team. “I feel like it’s my duty as a church member,” replied Scheller when asked why he volunteers, “Also, I like interacting with kids. It teaches them important lessons.” As far as the cleaning goes, Scheller says that he only has to dust and scrub about one Saturday a month. He feels that he is doing his part to contribute to his place of worship. Anna Colletti, also a senior, volunteers at the public library children’s reading program. She is a counselor at a day camp held at Peterswood Park, has contributed to the Sweet Sunday for the Washington City Mission, and goes on mission trips with her church. Her mother works at the Washington City Mission, which she says is why it’s easy for her to contribute her time in helping the less fortunate. “All of my activities last about a year- that is, some don’t go on all the time, but there’s always something to do.” Wes Schmid-Broome has gone on countless mission trips with his church, wears a SaveDarfur wristband, and buys items from the RED campaign (which is a collection of popular company products, like Chuck Taylor All Stars and Gap T-shirts, that contributes money to help fight AIDS in Africa). This ambitious sophomore also plans to help plan The Walk for Darfur this spring. Most of the charities he participates in are organized through his church. When asked why he volunteers, he answered simply: “Because I think it’s the right thing to do.” Jen Bozic is a senior at PTHS that makes a difference in the community. She helps out at PV teaching children and works like a teacher. She now individually tutors sixth grade students in the “English as a Second Language program,” this program is for students with parents that do not speak English. Bozic participates in these activities every Sunday for one hour. She tutors students at the Public Library or Peters Township Recreation Center. “I like to help the students speak and write better English so they get better grades in school and can feel comfortable with the language of their daily lives,” says Bozic.
  • 7. Helping Hand Are you a giving person? Take this quiz and find out! Directions: Read and answer the following questions and circle the answer that corresponds the most with your personality. Then tally how many a’s, b’s, and c’s you have. Whatever letter you have the most determines your personality type. 1. It’s Monday morning and the alarm is going off again. You: a. sleep the day away b. lay in bed until the sound of your parents voice is so annoying you wake up to indulge them c. wake up early; the idea of breakfast is calling you. 2. Your elderly neighbor needs a helping hand with yard work. You: a. stay at home. If they really need help, they can call a professional b. begin to help your neighbor but your friends drop by and you decide to hang with them instead c. mow the lawn, trim the bushes, and water the flowers 3. After school you: a. watch television until your eyes hurt so bad you can’t keep them open b. grab a bite to eat, begin your homework, but then go to the mall with your friends. c. go to a club meeting after school, then to soccer practice, and as soon as you get home you begin homework 4. If you were an animal, what would you be? a. a sloth- slow and lazy b. a gazelle- always running around c. a lion- strong and independent, yet caring 5. The perfect summer job is a volunteer-only position. You: Between 5-7 a’s= slacker Between 3-5 b’s= you help only if it will benefit you Answer Key: Between 1-3 c’s= Vivacious
  • 8. Sp rts Sean-Paul Mauro extra p int Chris Portz Emily Bigley New direction for the Mike Tomlin was named the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers January 21, 2007, following Bill Cowher’s fifteen-year reign at the helm of the franchise. Over the past thirty-seven years the team has had only two head coaches, Chuck Knoll and Bill Cowher, but now it is time for Tomlin to lead one of the most prestigious franchise in all of sports. Prior to entering the National Football League, Tomlin gained experience coaching at Virginia Military Institution, Memphis, and Arkansas State. Tomlin got his start in the league as a defensive back coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001 under Superbowl XLI winning coach Tony Dungy. Tomlin remained in Tampa Bay until last season when he took over as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. In one year’s time, he was able to turn the Viking’s battered defense into a respectable unit in the NFC North. Tomlin’s first move as head coach was to promote Bruce Arians as offensive coordinator. This marks Arians’ second stint as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. The previous run was with the Cleveland Browns during the 2001, 2002, and 2003 campaigns. Over the past three seasons, Arian served as wide receivers coach under Bill Cowher. Tomlin also retained Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator, a position he has held for the last three seasons. Like his predecessors, Tomlin was Former Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin was hired as the Pittsburgh Steelers new head coach on January 21, 2007 making him the first Arican American head coach in franchise history. hired relatively young, only thirty-four years old. Making him the second youngest coach in the National Football League, behind newly instated Oakland Raider’s coach Lane Kiffin. Tomlin hopes to follow the success of fellow young head coaches, Sean Payton and Eric Mangini. Payton in his first year of coaching won the AP’s NFL Head Coach of the Year Award for leading the New Orleans Saints to a NFC Championship berth. Likewise, Mangini took the New York Jets to the playoffs, just a year after finishing as the fourth worst team in the league. Some question Tomlin’s experience, but he remains confident about his abilities. NBA Playoff race heats up The NBA playoffs – like last year – will be classic. There will be colossal match ups and, undoubtedly, epic seven game series. However, unfortunately those match ups will probably be embedded within the Western Conference playoff match ups – and the Eastern Conference series will just be another formality. As the playoffs approach, the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns, both from the West, are proving to be the cream of the crop. Both are on pace for 60 plus win seasons – and both seem able to continue their success into the playoffs. However, other western teams also seem capable. The San Antonio Spurs are obviously a team to be reckoned with come playoff time. Every head coach knows what they’re capable of, including legendary Lakers coach, Phil Jackson, “They’re comfortable with how they can play in playoff situations… They’re still a team that has to be considered very, very dangerous,” (ESPN.com). The West certainly has many contenders. The Eastern Conference, however, is noticeably inferior. The best teams in the East – the Washington Wizards, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Chicago Bulls, and the Detroit Pistons – would arguably have a hard time making it as an eighth seed in the west. The legendary era of Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen, and the dominant Chicago Sean-Paul Mauro Staff Writer dynasty in the east is over – and the Eastern Conference is having trouble holding their own. The NBA reigning champions – the Miami Heat – hardly seem playoff ready, as they’re barely even a playoff team as the eighth seed in the east. It seems like every major professional sport these days has one dominant conference or league. Professional baseball has the American league that always reigns supreme. The Western conference in the NHL never ceases to impress with its many dominant teams – and the most evident example of this comes in the NFL as the NFC is seen as particularly mediocre to the dominant AFC. In the NBA, this trend remains consistent as the Western Conference is loaded with great teams from top to bottom while the Eastern Conference is often over looked. However, regardless of the uneven distribution of talent demonstrated by the dominance Which team is going to win the NCAA Basketball Championship? CT: The defending NCAA champions, the Florida Gators, will win again this year. They have a 24-3 record, with an 11- 1 record in the Southeastern Conference. A fluke loss to Vanderbilt was probably a good wake up call for this team after winning 17 straight. Going into the tourney on a big winning streak is never a good sign. They already have the experience of going deep in the NCAA tourney. With players like Joakim Noah, Taurean Green, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer, there’s no reason that the Gators shouldn’t repeat. SPTM: UCLA has the best chance to take home the national championship this season. Ben Howland, coach of the Bruins, emphasizes defense over everything. Dating back from his days at Pitt – Howland has always had the most physical teams in the country. The only difference now that he is with UCLA is that he has national championship caliber talent. Howland took a young team to the championship last year, and they have only gotten better this year. They always rise to the challenge of a big game, and come tourney time they won’t disappoint. CT: They always rise to the challenge of a big game? They lost by 16 in the national championship to Florida last year. That’s hardly “rising to the challenge.” Also, do you have any facts showing that UCLA is a national championship team, or are you just going to say random opinions such as “Howland has always had the most physical teams in the country?” Billy Donovan’s not a bad coach either-he has two NCAA Championship games under his belt including one NCAA Championship. The Gators are unquestionably one of the best teams in the country right now, they have beaten teams such as Ohio State, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and it doesn’t look like anyone can stop them when they’re at the top of their game. SPTM: Do I have any facts? How about the fact that UCLA has strong wins over Arizona, Washington, USC, Texas A & M, Kentucky, and Georgia Tech - while Florida has losses to unranked Florida State and Vanderbilt. UCLA has a strong array of guards and forwards all with a combination of speed size. UCLA guard, All-American candidate Arron Afflalo, who averages 18 points a game, can take over a game when UCLA is struggling. He has been leading them all season and will continue to lead them in the NCAA tournament. Did you say something about rising to the challenge? How about February 17; UCLA at 24th ranked Arizona resulted in a blowout 15-point win for the Bruins. I’m not sure if you know this but that same night Florida – “the hottest team in the country” – lost to regional powerhouse Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt? When did they get a basketball team? Are they Division I? The 2006-2007 NBA season is proving to be worth the price of admission. Bill Berry Sports Writer Photo Courtesy Of Andrew Rush / The Associated Press
  • 9. 9 Smoke Signals March 2007 SPORTS BRIEFS Bill Berry Connor Tarwater Derek Redding Brendan Sikora HOCKEY History of the Super Bowl Bill Berry Sports Writer This year 93.2 million fans tuned into watch the Super Bowl XLI match up between the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. The third highest audience in U.S. history, but the Super Bowl has not always been so glamorous. In 1967 the first Super Bowl was played as the Kansas City Chiefs took on the eventual runaway champions the Green Bay Packers. Actually, the Super Bowl wasn’t even called the Super Bowl until 1970 when the two leagues merged. Before this year the game was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. A lot has changed from then until now. We have had record-breaking attendance and bank breaking ticket prices. One thing that had not been altered was that an African American coach never led his team to the Super Bowl. That all changed when both Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy took their franchises to the most glorious game in all of American sports. This February, Dungy’s Colts won their second Super Bowl in franchise history, becoming the eleventh team to win multiple titles. Dungy also became only the third player in NFL history win the Super Bowl as a player and a The Peters Township Boy’s Lacrosse team has been one of the top competitors in the sport since the team’s inception in 1996. Tryouts for this year’s team were held in early February, and they team made an impressive showing in the Slippery Rock Tournament by finishing with a record of five and one. With their only loss coming against Western Reserve Academy, ranked 27th in the nation, Peters Township looks to defeat any team who comes between them and winning. Nevertheless, section competition for the Indians will be fierce with upcoming matches against teams like Mount Lebanon, Upper Saint Clair, and Bethel Park. P e t e r s Township varsity seniors Sean-Paul Mauro, Spencer Smith, Tony D’Abarno, and Kevin Wolcott are hoping that their experience will hurl the Indians into playoff contention. “We are really looking forward to this season, we know we are going to be able to accomplish things, like winning a WPSLA championship, this year that we have never accomplished before,” said Senior Captain Sean-Paul Mauro. “This is one of the best teams Peters has ever had and we plan on making a run for the WPSLA this year,” says senior leader Spencer Smith. The Indians lacrosse season begins in March with matches against Pine Richland, Chartiers Valley, and Ohio powerhouse Hudson. The 2007 Indians are loaded with talent. They have all top three scorers from last year returning (in Mauro, Powell, and Smith) and return three all-conference players. Indianapolis Colts fifth year head coach Tony Dungy celebrates the Colts victory is Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears. Dungy becomes the first African American head coach to obtain a Super Bowl victory. head coach. He joins legendary football guru Mike Ditka and Tom Flores. If there is one thing an owner strives to accomplish it is to build a dynasty. The San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have all been Photo courtesy of i.eurosport.com Rising to the challenge Derek Redding Sports Writer The hockey team was unable to enjoy the success of prior teams this season. They finished the year with a 6-16 record following a 4-0 win against Erie Cathedral Prep on February 26. Coach Tingle hopes to get back on the winning path during next year’s campaign. Boys’ Basketball The Peters Township varsity boy’s basketball team finished up the season February twelfth against Thomas Jefferson. The Indians posted a 5-17 record and another disappointing season. They look to rebound next year with this year’s youth turning into next year’s experience. Girls’ Basketball The Indians girl’s basketball team ended their season with a 15-9 record. They were lead by sophomore sensation Emily Correal who had a huge season. They hope to use the experience they gained this year to have success in the coming seasons. WRESTLING The wrestling team had rough season this year. Largely due to the fact that they were forced to forfeit key matches because, they did not have enough wrestlers to fit the weight classes. The coaches hope for more success in the coming season. BOYS’ SWIMMING The boy’s swim team is continuing their trend of success this season by posting an undefeated record (5-0). They had convincing wins against conference opponents Upper St. Claire and Mt. Lebanon. The team hopes to carry their success into the WPIALS and states. able to reach the status of dynasty by winning five Super Bowls. The New England Patriots have been able to establish what many refer to as the modern dynasty. They won three Super Bowls in four years in a time of free agency. Where will the Super Bowl’s progress Photo submitted by Sean-Paul Mauro The Peters Township Indians’ lacrosse team takes a warm-up lap to prepare for their game. Although PT lost their starting goalie, stand-out Frank Cicero (who is now playing at Divi-sion I Providence College), junior replacement Michael Moretti should be ready for the chal-lenge. Strong showings from Moretti in their preseason tournaments has PT confident go-ing into their 2007 campaign.
  • 10. P T L I F E & S t y l e Spring fashion means a shapely season Colleen Counihan Features Editor The weather has been more of a game of “Go Fish” than a generic forecast and global warming’s star appearance has forced many residents to keep both tank tops and sweaters in the same drawer for easy access. It’s hard to imagine an average spring blooming out of all this confusion, but fashion never stops for anyone, not even the environment’s mood swings. The runway’s spring previews began way back in the fall, but it is in these upcoming months that the styles will come alive. The outfits to fit the trends are different from the idealistic spring season that is commonly known for its blooming frontier of flowy, daisy-splattered dresses and powder pink flip-flops. The latest shirts and dresses range from stiff to subtly geometric and surprisingly, resemble the leaves of fall, instead of the tulips of spring. Designers Zac Posen and Burberry Prorsum see spring in odd shades of cream and gold, “I like to wear bright col-ors and flip flops.” -Emily Norton, ‘07 but do not overlook the traditional garments, such as shorts and blouses. The most important staples of spring are also the most unexpected. Dresses are consistently seen in the trapeze-style (think triangular) and vary from floor-length to barely there at all. The most elegant styles are now paired with the most common ones. In other words, spring fashion should be good news for athletes because the sporty look is everywhere. T-shirt dresses are paired with high-heeled sneakers and tunics overlap cropped and striped leggings. A new emphasis on legs can mean both high-waisted shorts and a greater focus on pants. “Pants” does not mean baggy or tweed, but sleek, short and straight. Representatives for Proenza Schouler told Vogue magazine, “In a season when legs are so important, the only pant that feels right is skinny and perfectly tailored.” Spring clothing will definitely mean stepping out of “I like to wear all the bright colors and summer skirts.” -Amy Burzotta, ‘10 Models show off the latest trends at the Spring 2007 Zac Posen (left) and Gucci (right) shows. “I like to wear wedges and stripped shirts.” -Emmy Phelan, ‘07 “I like to wear colorful, ligh fabrics, fun and funky vintage, vintage inspired and classic.” -Catherine McCarron, ‘07 Tattoos mark generations “It was not until the 1960’s that tattoos came into the American spotlight.” They are labeled as body ink by the nonchalant tattoo addicts, sentimental symbols by the one-time users and nightmares by concerned parents. Tattoos are a consistently debated topic of this generation, but through all of the heat they have prevailed as one of the most popular body adornments of the present and with no scars bigger than the ones they induce. The tattoo has proved to be timeless throughout all of its controversial history. The Egyptians saw them as a sign of beauty and took advantage of the permanent paint for uses of marking class and displaying art. The Japanese reached out to tattoos throughout their ceremonial and religious rites. Both men and women adopted certain depictions to signify a point in life or the tribe in which they are affiliated with. It was not until the 1960’s that tattoos came into the American spotlight. Sounds of the city: upcoming concerts Photos courtesy of style.com Colleen Counihan Features Editor Sean Naccarelli Staff Writer The images were featured all over television and magazines, though they were more of a mark of the deviants than a socially welcomed phenomenon. It was always the bully or the criminal that sported the bold engraving on his “booming” bicep. These stereotypical representations have not managed to halt the millions of non-criminal, non-violent men and women getting tattooed annually. It is not difficult to see the parallels between tattoos of the past and tattoos of the present. The latest customers go to tattoo artists to embellish their skin with art; they see beauty in it, just as the Egyptians did. Some of the most common tattoos are chosen based on a person’s outlook on life. Images of crests and ethnic symbols illustrate a significance of family ties, just as the Japanese used symbols to connect with their tribes. Tattoos are slowly becoming more popular and increasingly more accepted. It is a common misconception that all people with tattoos are criminals, but it is understandable since most criminals do have tattoos. They are now more commonly seen as marks of an experience, rather than marks of risky business. Whether they are accepted or avoided, tattoos are first and foremost a choice, one that many will live with for the rest of their lives. By now, you’ve all probably been getting tired of watching “Friends” re-runs, or Grey’s Anatomy (that show stinks anyway), so it’s time for something new! In the next couple of months many great artists are coming near Pittsburgh, with affordable ticket prices. Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA Tue, 03/13/07 Nickelback 07:00 PM Wed, 05/02/07 My Chemical Romance 07:30 PM Mr. Smalls Theatre Millvale, PA Thu, 03/15/07 Switchfoot w/ Copeland 08:00 PM Thu, 03/27/07 The Blood Brothers w/ Chinese Stars 08:00 PM Thu, 03/29/07 Mae w/ The Hush Sound 07:00 PM Fri, 04/06/07 Anberlin w/ Bayside 07:00 PM Tue, 04/17/07 Keller Williams 08:30 PM Sat, 04/21/07 Anti-Flag w/ Alexisonfire 07:00 PM Tue, 04/24/07 The Plain White T’s 07:00 PM Bryce Jordan Center University Park, PA Thu, 03/22/07 Dierks Bentley 07:30 PM RMU Sewall Center Moon Township, PA Sat, 03/31/07 Taking Back Sunday 07:30 PM St Vincent College Latrobe, PA Fri, 04/13/07 O.A.R. 08:00 PM GIANT Center Hershey, PA Fri, 04/20/07 Blue Man Group 08:00 PM Post Gazette Pavilion Pittsburgh, PA Tue, 05/22/07 Fall Out Boy 06:00 PM Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA Sat, 06/09/07 Kenny Chesney 04:30 PM Wachovia Arena Wilkes-Barre, PA Tue, 08/14/07 Keith Urban 07:30 PM Tickets are available at www. ticketmaster.com or go to any Ticketmaster outlet.
  • 11. 11 Mr. Whalen reviewing a homework assignment with his second period Integrated II essentials students early on a Friday morning. License to Impress Coaching in the classroom Romeo’s Ex: Rosaline’s Story By Lisa Fielder “She is Rosaline, and Romeo loves her. Alas, I love her as well, and mayhap more, but Romeo did spy her first. ‘Twould be dishonorable to purse her now. ‘Twould also be pointless, for ‘tis Mercutio she desires.” Romeo and Juliet are the most infamous tragic couple of all time; it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of them. But what of the other characters in the tragedy: Benvolio, Mercutio, Tybalt, and Paris? The story begins just before the lovers meet, with Romeo falling for Juliet’s cousin, Rosaline. Rosaline perceive him as fickle and decides to look elsewhere for love. She finds herself caught in the middle of a battle between the Montagues and Capulets and is knocked unconscious. Benvolio, Romeo’s best friend, sees this and rescues her, but when she awakens it is Mercutio that she finds in Benvolio’s stead. Thus begins a love quadrilateral between Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio and Rosaline. Romeo’s Ex is one of the greatest takes on Shakespeare that I have ever read, and is full of Shakespearean references and language, and even includes some passages from the original play. Lisa Fielder is an amazing writer; Smoke Signals March 2007 Chris Portz Staff Writer Katie Ellis Guest Writer Teachers are a dime a dozen in a student’s life. By the time a student graduates he will have been through over 50 teachers and that is only inside the classroom. Every so often there are a couple of teachers that stand out. Mr. Whalen was hired with a resume as an outstanding coach and experienced teacher. He has been at Peters Township High School for a year, and already he has had a big impact in the classroom and on the athletic field. Last year when Mrs. Tylka was on maternity leave, Peters Township High School acquired a diamond in the rough. Mr. Whalen, a former Cedar Rapids Iowa teacher at Xavier High School, moved to Peters Township as a temporary substitute and within six months acquired his own classes, Personal Finance and Math Essentials. His charismatic and energetic attitude has earned him the respect of his students. He also takes on the role of a mentor on the athletic field. As an assistant coach, Whalen leads the highly successful Peters Township golf team. Whalen is the Bill Belichick of high school sports; he wins no matter where he goes. There is one exception to this analogy though; everyone at PTHS Sean Naccarelli Staff Writer Chris Portz Staff Writer Cartel-Chroma likes him. For example, he has coached girl’s soccer in Virginia and his hometown of Cedar Rapids Iowa winning a championship for each program. His resume is impressive both on and off the athletic field. His teaching style is unique in the fact that he teaches the material while conversing with students. “I like how he speaks his mind and is very blunt on the topics he teaches,” said senior Steve Plachecki. Personally connecting with a teacher is rare in the stressful academic life of a high school student, and this is the reason why Whalen stands out among the rest of the teachers at PTHS. Other than an avid sports fan and an educator, Whalen enjoys other hobbies such as cooking and finding good deals at Sam’s Club. He is thrilled by a simple hello in the hallways and students wishing a “Happy Half-birthday.” Mr. Whalen’s birthday is July 19th. He is always ready to give an explanation for any sort of problem, especially a math problem, whenever needed and he is almost always right although he still remains humble. As a modest man he will never say that he is the best teacher at PTHS, however. He gives others credit for him getting the job even though Mr. Whalen is more than qualified, having 15 years of teaching experience and a year of interaction with the students. “If the kids hadn’t received me so well and told the people down stairs about me, I would not have Photo courtesy of thecia.com Photo courtesy thestarscoop.com Coming out of the Atlanta shadows with a bang is Cartel. In June of 2006, they released their first full-length album Chroma. For only being a band for 3 years, most people consider Cartel pretty lucky to gain the attention and acclaim that they’ve received, ever since the release of Madden 2007, which had their hit song “Honestly” on the infamous videogame soundtrack. Cartel started around front man Will Pugh, and guitarist Joseph Pepper. They both were anxious to get out of Atlanta, but thought that it could never happen to a band that played shows sporadically in only one city. Their catchy choruses and melodic verses gained attention from one of the biggest labels in music right now, Epic Records. After signing to Epic, Cartel started to see the fans and shows rolling in. As every member does, the band first could not wait to get home, but after a while, Cartel adjusted to being out on the road. Now, they find themselves away from home more than half the year. Chroma was originally released in 2005, but Cartel later re-released it in June of 2006. With the release of Chroma, Cartel was crowned the number one debut artist on Soundscan’s Alternative New Artist charts. In 2005, Alternative Press hailed them as “A Band You Need To Know.” With all this energy and electricity stormed into their first CD, I’m sure Cartel will only become more Photo by Renée Wunderlich Many long-time 007 fans were skeptical when it was announced that Daniel Craig would be the new James Bond for Casino Royale. There are a number of big names that Craig would be in the shadow of, including the famous Sean Connery and Roger Moore. Aside from the obvious pressure of the early Bonds, he would replace arguably one of the best Bonds ever, Pierce Bronson. But once again the creators of the James Bond series have made the successful transition from one Bond to the next. The triumphant transition is no surprise considering that the James Bond series has lasted 25 years accumulating revenue of $4,355,700,000 at the box office and even more in VHS, DVD, and merchandise sales. Craig’s Bond, in Casino Royale, is much more witty than his predecessors as he lacks the fancy gadgets invented for previous Bonds. He is more of a MacGyver than the usual 007 we are accustomed to watching. Craig uses an arsenal of arrogant remarks and clever comebacks instead of explosives. Bond 22, also starring Daniel Craig, is already set to release on Novembers 7, 2008 and looks to have more success than Casino Royale. Casino Royale is sure to be a best
  • 12. Voicesin the Hall A PT Minute With... Garrett McLean Kiersten Arnoni 1. What is your favorite breakfast cereal? Rice Crispy bites, but they don’t make them anymore! 2. What is your most watched movie? Green Street Hooligans. “West Ham til I Die!” 3. What songs are you most likely to be caught singing in the shower? It’s Goin’ Down by Yung Joc. 4. What is your biggest fear? I’m scared of dying in a fire. 5. If you could pick any decade, what decade would you want to live in? I would want to live in the 2110’s, because I want to drive a flying car. What/Who is your good luck charm? If you were stranded on a desert island, what two things would you take with you? 1. What is your most watched movie? The Little Mermaid. 2. What songs are you most likely to be caught singing in the shower? My Humps! My sister recorded me once! 3. Who is your favorite cartoon character? Dash from the Incredibles… He’s so fast! 4. What is your biggest fear? Drowning. 5. If you could pick any decade, what decade would you want to live in? I would like to live in the 1950’s, because I like the poodle skirts, and Zach Airhart said so. “My lucky underwear; I’m always wearing them when good things happen.” –Marshall Smith ‘07 “My assortment of wild key chains are very lucky. The croissant is my favorite.” –Kelley Walker ‘07 “My infamous white grill cover.” –Sarah Earley ‘07 “My dog named Puppy Juice.” -Dave Searight ‘07 “Buffalo chicken dip and Tostitos tortilla chips. I’d be in heaven.” –Garrett McLean ‘07 “My iPod and my dog.” –Nick Sanfilippo ‘07 “A bathing suit and, of course, my cell phone, if I’m not roaming.” –Leigha Krivacek ‘07 “I would take Emily Bigley on my left arm and Rachel Horensky on my right.” –Connor Tarwater ‘07