The Viking Press

Sweetheart Ball Postponed

2012-02-13T08:51:00.002-05:00

The Sweetheart Ball has been postponed to the first weekend of March, which will either be on the 3rd or the 4th.

Fine Arts Courses

2012-02-13T08:21:00.003-05:00

Ceramics: The Ceramics class has been offered for a few years at Ripley High School; it is a hands-on class taught by Debbie Sisson for students who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. In this half-credit course, students learn the basic methods of hand-building, how to recycle the clay, and how to glaze. The difference between aesthetic pottery and functional pottery is also taught. Students have the chance to make ceramics that they can keep and display or give away. As far as sign-ups go, Sisson prefers to keep the class to around 15 students, so if you are interested you should sign up quickly to try and get a spot.

Creative Art-Drawing Painting: This half-credit course will be taught by Debbie Sisson, who has not been able to offer yet. It will need approximately 10 students to sign up to take the class, otherwise it will not be offered. The course will cover all the basics of drawing, color theory, and methods of painting such as tempera, water-color, and acrylic. Mrs. Sisson strongly recommends that students already be strong with basic art, and have taken Art I.

Intro to Theater: Intro to Theater is a course for students who would like to get their fine arts credit, but who are not necessarily musically inclined, comfortable with art, or who don’t really want to get on stage and act. Intro to Theater will be coupled with a Film/Video course, as both are half-credit classes. Intro to Theater itself would be an overview of different famous playwrights, basic stage terms, directions, and a few important theatrical movements such as Kabuki Theater and American musicals.

Individual Technique – Vocal Music: This is a new half-credit course for students looking to improve their vocal techniques taught by Lily Corathers. You do not have to be able to sing perfectly to take the class; if you want to sing you join. There is a lot of solo work; students will be expected to perform in front of their class and at a Solo Ensemble. A couple styles that will be explored are classical and Broadway singing styles. The class is essentially a one-on-one vocal lesson. Students are graded on participation, showing their improvement throughout the course, and showing an understanding of comments and criticism. “It’s going to be really fun,” says Mrs. Corathers.

Music History: Music History is a half-credit course that will be taught by one of the music teachers. Music History is more or less the same as a Music Appreciation class, the reason for the change being that it will be presented more as a social studies class that studies music. The course will begin covering the history of music from the start all the way to the present day. Students will be able to recognize forms and trends within the music. You do not have to be able to read or write music to join the class, although you will likely end up learning some notes along the way.

Business department brings electives to work

2012-02-10T14:09:00.002-05:00

By: Anni Ashworth

Have you ever wanted to take a class in business law or maybe desktop publishing? Ripley High now offers classes in them and multiple other business computer electives. Students don’t typically make these electives their main priority when building their schedule each year, but in actuality they can help get you ahead after high school in majors or jobs that specifically focus on what is taught in the individual classes.

The newest additions to the business computer electives at the school include Computerized Presentations, Database Management, Business Law, Desktop Publishing, Spreadsheet Management, and Business Math. All of the classes offer many different opportunities to students. In the Computerized Presentation elective, students are taught skills in creating modifying and delivering professional presentations using presentation software. Database Management students will study organization, storage and retrieval of the information stored in databases. The impact of law relating to business and individuals is explained throughout the Business Law elective. Students who chose to take Desktop Publishing are given the opportunity to learn how to publish their own desktop programs and they can analyze and identify the many different career opportunities under desktop publishing. The use of excel spreadsheets and lessons on how to produce and use many other types of spreadsheets will be given in Spreadsheet Management. Business Math helps to prepare students and help use mathematical skills as they relate to business.

These new electives will be an opportunity for students to get ahead in careers or maybe just help them learn more about programs and technology. Either way, with technology and business opportunities growing more and more every day, taking any of these classes will benefit students throughout their lives.

Who is going to win an Oscar

2012-02-02T14:02:00.000-05:00

By: Sarah Smith

The Oscars have always been an irritating thing for me. For the most part the movies that win awards are movies I’ve never seen or even heard of that look more arts than entertaining. This could be because awards are based on artistic quality rather than viewership. “Twilight” has never won best picture. Well, good news! I’m here to tell you what movies are slated to win Oscars so you can pretend to know what you’re talking about when you watch the awards with your parents.

“The Artist” is probably going to win best picture. And you’ve never heard of it. Want to know why? It’s a mostly silent film. And the few words that are in it are in French. It’s in black and white. Odds are if you’re the average teenager, you’ve already stopped paying attention. It’s a throwback to the golden age of film, and apparently it’s pretty good. Good enough to guarantee leading man Jean Juardin a nomination for Best Actor, and he might win it if George Clooney doesn’t win for the Descendants.

“The Descendants” could be the come-from-behind winner of Best Picture. It’s the story of a man’s (Clooney) search for the man his wife cheated on him with. You may have seen this one as it was in actual American theaters. Shailene Woodley (the teen mom from “Secret Life of the American Teenager”) could garner a nomination for best supporting actress from this one too.

Here’s what’s great about…media extremists

2012-02-02T14:00:00.000-05:00

By: Emma Shinn

“I’m thinking about killing [liberal filmmaker] Michael Moore, and I’m wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. No, I think I could.”

“[Republicans] are kind of saying, ‘If you don’t agree to our demands, we will destroy the world economy.’ Which I think is what Dr. Evil said.”

“[Republicans are attempting to] end this democracy…It is one thing to be attacked by those who would destroy America from without. It is a worse thing to be attacked by those who would destroy America from within.”

“You want to have two guys making out in front of your child? A guy smoking a joint, blowing smoke into your kid’s face? It’s okay with [non-religious people]. I’m not exaggerating. This is exactly what the secular movement stands for.”
Do any of these statements sound crazy to you? Would you be shocked to hear them coming from people who claim to be professionals dedicated to delivering the truth to the public? Well, believe it or not, those are exactly the type of people who uttered those words. They are reporters who contend to be drawing audiences in order to provide them with information, but are really just pushing their own agendas and trying to get “the other side” riled up.

These are media extremists, and they are everywhere. On television, on the radio, and from both of the major political parties. You don’t believe me? Take the quotes above for example. Two of those quotes came from liberals and two from conservatives.

Glenn Beck wants to single-handedly murder a few liberals for expressing their opinions. Bill Maher thinks Republicans desire to destroy the world economy. Keith Olbermann claims that conservatives are trying to destroy American democracy from within, and Bill O’Reilly thinks any secular group is interested in advocating sex and drugs to children.Those people are a Republican, Democrat, Democrat, and Republican, respectively, and they are all guilty of making remarks that are, franky, way out of line.

Now, often times, statements like these serve only to anger one group and rally another. But I have another reaction that I think both sides should consider more often: just laugh. That’s right, laugh. What’s great about media extremists is not that they make people mad or give people cause to feel smug; it’s that they’re freaking hilarious.

When Beck gets so overcome that he cries on air? Just laugh. When O’Reilly gets so loud and angry that he refuses to let anyone else get a word in? Chuckle it up. When Olbermann compares any and all Republicans to everything from dog doo to dictators? Hardy har har. And when Maher stacks his deck of guests so that he only has to interview people who won’t oppose him? Giggle like a schoolgirl. It’s all just. Plain. Funny.

So, next time a reporter or newsperson says something that may upset you, take my advice and try to laugh at it instead. Sometimes it’s best to get up in arms over issues that you are truly committed to, but other times, you’re better off just snickering it away. As Olbermann himself once said (in one of his less out-there moments), “Sometimes it’s more productive to laugh at the stupid than to yell at the stupid.”

And with all the stupid going around in the American political media, maybe we’d all get a lot more done if we just took the time to laugh.

GOP Presidential race continues with caucuses, primaries

2012-02-02T13:58:00.001-05:00

By: Emma Shinn

The bid for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination began early last year, with 19 candidates declaring their intention to run overall. By the time the primaries and caucuses had begun this month, seven candidates had already dropped out of the race for various reasons, ranging from pursuing movie careers to running damage control over sexual harassment lawsuits.

The first vote of the primary season took place at the Iowa caucus January 3. The top three winners there were reported originally as being Ron Paul in third, Rick Santorum second, and Mitt Romney as the winner by 8 votes. The rest of the field shook out to Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and Jon Huntsman in fourth through seventh, respectively. As a result of her poor showing in the caucus, Bachmann announced the end of her campaign the next day. After enjoying the push from his narrow victory for a few weeks, Romney was knocked down a few pegs when it was announced that, after a re-count, Rick Santorum had actually won by about 34 votes.

After Iowa, it was off to New England for the New Hampshire primary January 10. Here, Mitt Romney was the unquestionable winner by almost 4,000 votes. He was followed by Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Rick Perry. When early polling for the South Carolina primary began, Jon Huntsman found himself polling dead last yet again, and resigned his candidacy. He announced afterwards that he would be putting his support behind Romney. Meanwhile, after finishing last, Perry made good on a previously hinted-at withdrawal, and officially declared that he was out of the race January 19.

The next primary vote came in South Carolina January 21. This time, Newt Gingrich was declared the winner by over 1,000 votes over second place Mitt Romney. Rick Santorum and Ron Paul came in third and fourth, respectively. As of publication, there have been no more drop-outs in the race thus far. The next vote will be the upcoming Florida primary January 31.

Dance Dress Code

2012-02-02T09:08:00.003-05:00

With the oh-so-romantic month of February quickly approaching, love struck students and those eyeing up a potential love-bird will likely be preparing for February 11, the day of the Sweetheart Ball. This year the theme will be “Passport to Paris”, the price will be 7$ for singles and $12 for couples for tickets sold at school, and the price will be $10 for singles and $15 for doubles at the door. If you’d like to take advantage of the lower prices, ticket sales will start on February 2, and will end on February 10. The dance will be from 8 to 11 PM, but doors will open at 7:30 so couples can get pictures. The colors will be gold, silver, red, and maybe some white, and a 7 foot tall lighted Eiffel tower is planned. Junior nominations for King and Queen Candidates will take place as well.
When it comes to the dances, however, a bit of an issue tends to form in the way of outfits for the occasion. From time to time, students have to be turned away due to inappropriate dressing. No offense intended, but this usually means a girl’s dress, and generally for not covering up enough. For this year’s Sweetheart Ball, the administration is trying to meet the students halfway. While the school’s dress code is being used as a basis, there is a bit of common sense being applied to it. Strapless dresses are allowed, and generally you just need to make sure your outfit fits well and that you aren’t showing more than you should. Also, whatever rumor you’ve heard about using flashlights or rulers to gauge dresses is false. It’s important to stress that if you try to get by with a dress that doesn’t meet standards, there won’t be an exception. Another issue that needs to be mentioned is grinding. The rule is to face your partner, as not everyone wants to see that at a dance.
While the dress code is in our student handbook, in addition to being on our school website, sometimes it might be hard to properly judge if your attire meets standards. If you’re uncertain and want to ensure you won’t be turned away at the door, you may take a picture of yourself wearing the outfit, and show it to assistant principal Bev Shatto for review. This can save a lot of headache and turmoil for students and chaperones alike. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and a last-minute date at McDonald’s might not make a preferable substitute to the Sweetheart Ball if you are not permitted entry, let alone all of the money you could possibly waste.

Teaching Tech

2012-02-02T09:08:00.001-05:00

How many times have you used the internet to help you finish your homework? In today’s world with tons of information merely a few keystrokes and a click away, the internet can be an obvious place to turn to when you need assistance. While there are likely a few sites out there that simply list correct answers to homework problems, there are many more sites dedicated to teaching students in many subjects and helping them to develop better study habits. A few websites are even utilized by teachers as a regular part of the course, becoming a handy instructional tool.
These tools are largely devoted to providing resources to help aid the educational process, whether it is in the form of games, information presented in an easy-to-understand way, or video instruction. The great thing about this is that a student can go to these sites from anywhere with internet access, obviously, meaning a student can receive help understanding something from nearly anywhere in our modern world.
Recent websites have sprung up and are becoming classroom staples, such as icivics.org, Blue Notes, and in some classrooms; YouTube videos (the videos created with educational purposes in mind, of course). One could point out that such information has likely been on the internet for years, but it comes down to presentation. A stone-cold website with paragraph of paragraph after information is the same to a student as a text book. Intuitiveness, ease-of-use, and presentation are key factors in gripping a student and helping them to understand a concept more easily.
One website that does the above very well is the aforementioned icivics.org. iCivics is a website as envisioned by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who was concerned that students weren’t receiving adequate information on civil participation. If you are in a civics class this year at RHS, chances are you’re at least somewhat familiar with the site already. iCivics is the host to an assortment of games designed to help describe different civil processes like voting, immigration, Supreme Court cases, budget, and even campaigning. The games don’t sugar coat anything either; some can be rather challenging to achieve success in. iCivics is a great example which shows that educational games can work when they are engaging.
Another site out there is studyblue.com, which has an app for smart phones (iPhone and Android) called Blue Notes. Blue Notes is a study tool that allows students to access notes, flashcards, study guides, and even past quizzes from their phone no matter where they are. The app even allows social integration with Facebook and Twitter so a student can share what they are studying with friends. If a student even feels so inclined, they can make a quiz on the material that others can take. The idea behind Blue Notes is to always have your notes with you, so you can always study. flashcardmachine.com offers similar features, and also has an app for iPhone and Android devices.
Taking advantage of today’s technology to educate is likely a major goal that a lot of educational organizations have these days. The websites discussed above do it properly; appealing lay out, easy to navigate, and even social integration (or modern-day gaming facets in iCivics’ case). They properly motivate the user to want to utilize their service.

Napoloeon Dynamite returns animated

2012-02-02T09:06:00.000-05:00

Love it or hate it, the Napoleon Dynamite movie exploded in popularity when it released in 2004. Originally a low-budget movie operating on $400,000, it was picked up by Fox Searchlight Pictures and MTV, giving the film a storm of marketing that helped it become a huge success. Fans fell in love with its quirky script, characters, and how dated the movie looked and felt. Even today you can say the line “Vote for Pedro” and someone will either laugh or groan. Believe it or not, January 17 marks the 8th year since the film released; which has thankfully given enough time for the movie’s references to die down and become enjoyable again. I suppose the creators felt the same way, as an animated show based on the movie aired January 15.
The pilot episode “Thundercone” sees Napoleon gaining unbridled rage after an outbreak of zits appears on his forehead. He uses this rage in a local underground fighting club led by Rex, and that’s about it. The episode does a pretty good job of including every major character from the movie. Pretty much every major character makes an appearance, including Pedro, Deb, Kip, Napoleon’s grandmother, Uncle Rico, Rex, and Don; all voiced by the original cast. Interestingly, the show seems to disregard Kip’s marriage to LaFawnduh, as he is once again hitting up sweet babes in chat rooms.
The big question is, of course, “How was it?” Judging off the pilot episode, it’s okay. I think my biggest mistake was expecting more of the same in regards to humor. While every character acted how you would expect it to, the show takes a bit of a goofier direction. Personally my biggest delight with the original movie was seeing how these oddball characters acted in an otherwise incredibly normal, if not outdated environment. The animated series seems to just be focusing on the silliness of the characters and putting them in outlandish situations with even more oddball characters, which is to be expected. For me, the real highlight of the pilot was seeing Kip being Kip. He meets a girl online who says she will meet him in town since she is “picking up dog food anyways”, and after revealing his spray-on tan, Kip takes the girl out to a date. Even after all this time the character’s mannerisms and speech patterns are still entertaining.
That’s just the thing though; it has been eight years. The movie itself had an explosion of popularity when it came out, which would have been a perfect window of time to release a show. The question now is how many people will care that a cartoon based on Napoleon Dynamite is out. That question will hopefully force the show’s creators to not rely on old jokes, and to craft its own identity while staying true to the personalities and subdued humor of the movie. While I did get some enjoyment out of the pilot, I hope that the show gets into a better groove within the next couple of episodes; otherwise I feel that it won’t really catch on.

Is 3D worth money?

2012-01-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

When you sit down with your family for a movie night, can you tell the difference between the regular version and the 3D version? If yes, then the movie was worth it. In my opinion 3D is not worth it. I think the money could be better spent by making special effects better especially in action movies. When you think about it, is it worth spending millions and millions of dollars to make an only a few aspects in the movie more noticeable?
Older movies that have already been out for 10 to 20 years are getting the upgrade. One of Disney’s best selling classics is “Beauty and the Beast” is getting re-released in 3D. The story line isn’t changing at all in the any of the re-released movies they just have better picture quality, so should they be released again? If the money’s there and the moneys coming then the way movies are produced will always be changing.
Movies that have been released in the last decade are not considered new. Disney movies that are newer are being re-released in 3D in the nest few years. These movies include “Cars”, and “Finding Nemo”. There are many other companies besides Disney, like IMAX and Warner Bros.
3D movies are becoming more and more common. In the next few years all movies in theaters will probably be in 3D to prevent from spending more money re-releasing them. The money to make a movie can be hundreds of millions of dollars. To make a 3D movie can be double what a regular movie is. Just think about how pricey you two hour movie is.

Lady Vikes preparing to win out

2012-01-31T14:01:00.001-05:00

  By: Taryn Matheny

   The Ripley High School Girls’ basketball team has played in a number of games up to this point. They know their strengths and weaknesses netter now and are hoping to use that down the final stretch of games to win. The Lady Vikes’ record is 3-9, but they have competed well against their opponents. They have played in many close games where it came down to a buzzer beater or them losing by only a few points.
A recent game they played in was on January 18 against Lincoln County where they looked to really take control of the game. They had great performances from key players and they were able to finish the game with a win. The final score of the game was 60-49. It was really a great showing by the Vikings and they look to continue this for the rest of the season.
   Another recent game was at Capital where they looked to control the game, until Capital took a late run to send it into overtime. The Lady Vikes’ couldn’t hold on in overtime and they lost with a final score of 49-40.
   They have shown that they can win, such as The Rod Hudson Tournament that took place at Ripley High School. They won their first game in the tournament against Petersburg with a score of 58-44. Then they won first place by beating rival Ravenswood 49-35.
   “We are just going to try our hardest in this last stretch of games and hopefully we can win out,” said senior Paige Smith.
   The Lady Vikes’ look to get on a winning streak and win out the rest of their games to end the regular season. If you get a chance then you should come support the girls in their next game during senior night at home against St. Albans.

Who is even running? A basic summary of the Republican primary

2012-01-30T13:53:00.001-05:00

By: Sarah Smith

If you’re an American, this is a very important year for you, especially if you’re old enough to vote. In November, we’re going to pick the single most powerful man in the world (there are no longer any women running). These coming months up through June are especially important if you’re a Republican as you’ll be choosing the man who will be running against incumbent President Obama. After the dropouts of Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, John Huntsman, and Rick Perry there are only four men running for the Republican nomination. As strong proponents of civil responsibility, we here at The Viking Press have compiled a list of candidates and their stances on some important issues to help you make an informed decision about who will run the country.

The current frontrunner or the Republican primary is former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. He’s a Mormon and if he wins the presidency, he will be the most religiously diverse president since John F. Kennedy. He’s pro-life and supports the creation of a Constitutional ban on abortion. He’s against gay marriage and civil unions, but believes gay couples should be able to adopt. He has also expressed interest in creating a traditional marriage amendment to the Constitution. He blames old welfare programs for our current economic problems and believes welfare reform is the best way to fix them.

Rick Santorum took first in the Iowa Caucus but fell out of the top three in the New Hampshire primary. He is a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania. This is the one you’ve heard of saying that gay marriage was essentially the same thing as bestiality and pedophilia. He’s one of the most conservative candidates in the race. He opposes marriage, unions, and adoption rights for gay couples, wants to put a federal ban on abortion, defund Planned Parenthood, and is dead set against legalizing marijuana. He wants to remove sexual education from schools and insert teaching that abstinence as the only birth control method.

Ron Paul was third in the Iowa Caucus and second in the New Hampshire primary. A U.S. Representative form Texas, he’s pro-life and supports a federal ban on abortion. However, he does support stem cell research on a donation basis. His official profile says he supports state’s rights to decide on the legalization of marijuana though he has supported bills to legalize marijuana in the past. Paul wants to cut spending but his official profile does not say which kind of spending he wishes to cut. He says the government should stay out of the “gay agenda”, though we’ve had no word yet on what that means.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was out of the top three in Iowa and New Hampshire but won South Carolina. Gingrich believes that education is and hard work will lead to a better life. Education is his answer to the current economic struggle. He is pro-life and supports a federal ban on abortion. He wishes to deny funding to Planned Parenthood and stem cell research. He is against adoption rights for gay couples, but believes they should be afforded some rights as couples. He also wants to deny welfare to teenage mothers.

If you’re a Democrat, Barack Obama is your man. He’s the only one running so there isn’t a Democratic primary for this election. The choice was made for you by the other Democrats who didn’t run.

Sarah Says: stop making mean religious statements

2012-01-30T13:49:00.003-05:00

By: Sarah Smith

I am a Christian. I have never been ashamed of this and I won’t deny it. But I will never, ever disrespect or judge anyone else on their difference or lack of religion. We haven’t walked the same path, we haven’t lived the same life; we’re different. There are people who don’t share my beliefs, both religious and non-religious folk, who have a few choice phrases that make me sad. For example:

“God hates (insert group name here)”. This is where Christians get their reputation for being bigots, haters, and generally ignorant people. Well, here’s the thing; if I’ve been listening correctly at church for 18 years, God loves everybody. Hate is not part of the being of God. The first and greatest commandment God gave his people is “love thy neighbor”. Not “love thy neighbor unless he’s black” or “love thy neighbor unless he’s gay.” No, it’s love thy neighbor, no fine print. The Christian church, using God’s name has done a really bad job of this over the years (e.g. the Crusades, the Inquisition, every other war you learned about in history class last year) but there’s no way it should still be so badly interpreted in this modern day and age. As much as this frustrates me about my own religion, there are phrases used by non-Christian or non-religious groups that get under my skin just as much. Kind of like:

“God is not great.” Okay, so this is the title of a book written by the recently deceased Christopher Hitchens, who was an adamant Atheist and a brilliant man. His book doesn’t bother me as it is intelligent and well researched and it’s more about the problems with religion than the problem with a god. What I can’t stand is when non-religious people use this as ammo against Christians in arguments. “Your God’s not real”, “he doesn’t really have magical powers”, whatever. I’m not going to tell you that you’re wrong or that there’s no is to prove or disprove the existence of a supreme being. I’m going to tell you that you shouldn’t say this because it’s one of the most insulting things you can say to a Christian. It’s so ingrained in their psyche, so much a part of them that it’s be like me telling you “I hate you mom. She’s a terrible person, a horrible mother, and really ugly.” Unless you have problems with your mom that would probably bother you. So stop saying its equivalent to Christians.

“Muslims hate America”. This is probably the silliest and most uninformed statement any individual can make. For one thing, there are over 2 million Muslims in the United States. I have a feeling that they wouldn’t live here voluntarily if they hated this country any more than your average, red-blooded American. For another, Islam as a religion is pacifistic. Pacifism is one of the key teachings of Islam. The few violent attacks you hear about are extremist groups who aren’t accepted by the Islamic nation as a whole. It’d be like saying all Christians are KKK members or like the people from Westboro Baptist “Church”. One group of crazies ruins the world’s image of the entire religion.

“My ideas/beliefs/theories are better than yours”. Well no, they’re not. They’re different, but there’s no way of saying which ideology is “better”. As of yet I’ve never been dead and I’ve never met anyone who’s been dead before so I can’t tell you what happens to you after you kick it. Sure, you’ll hear stories about light and angels, but there’s no way of proving whether or not these are real or hallucinations. You can’t prove it, I can’t prove it, and live is frankly a lot easier if we just get along. Everybody love everybody, regardless of belief system.

Benefits of period scheduling

2012-01-04T11:36:00.005-05:00

By: David Hicks

The argument of block scheduling vs. period scheduling has been a common topic for the educational system throughout the U.S. Both have some down sides to them. In some classes, more time is needed like gym in periods Others where less time is needed like math, where you brain starts to short circuit and you start erasing what you learned earlier in the block. I think that from the academic view point, the periods would be the best option.
Both can cause problems for students and teachers alike. For example, teachers in a period will only have 45 minutes for planning. Your physical education will also suffer from the lack of time. In blocks you have a harder chance to recover lost credit because you don’t get half credits and you don’t have classes all year.
Having a lot of time in a single setting like a classroom can have a serious effect on a kid’s grade, having to sit in the same class then forget when you go to the next. The prolong amount of time in block scheduling can only be effective if the student processes the steps or facts into his long term memory, which a lot of times takes repetition. Even if you spent a great deal of time and work to convert it, the students will soon forget it as soon as they leave for next semester.
Periods, the teachers can have the students for two semesters and have a better chance of having them remember what they learned for a great deal of time because of the longer year round practice. This can lead to better standardized test scores and larger amounts of brighter children to go out in the world to make it a better place. This would not be the best options for most schools that suffer in english and reading, because you need to have a greater amount of straight time to read and do activities or modules. However, this is a great way to increase the children’s knowledge in math and science.
In my personal opinion, I believe periods are better for us, the students, and it is only for our benefits. It gives us a chance to have all our classes throughout the year and increases our chance of remembering what we have done in class for a long time even after you have finished it. Periods give us a chance to succeed and I feel that with periods we will.

Winter survival tips

2012-01-04T11:35:00.000-05:00

By: David Hicks

Bad things happen in life, and if you hadn’t realized then you need to get with the program. What really counts is if you’re prepared when these horrible events occur. Being knowledgeable can go a long way when your or someone else’s life is on the line. The winter months is or has to be the hardest to go through if you got lost or injured and needed rescued. So teaching you a few tips and hints about survival may just increase your chances and allow you to return home to a cozy couch and hot chocolate. These tips may one day save your life, let’s just hope you won’t have to use them.
You’re out on a hike in the middle of the winter. Then you suddenly realize that while your mind was wondering you strayed off the path, really far off the path. So now you’re lost with no supplies and nobody has a clue where you are at. The number one thing you want to do is find shelter. Without proper shelter you will take the wind on directly, possibly wet your clothes, and deal with harsh weather which could all lead to hyperthermia or frostbite. You can create a barrier of some kind by using pine limbs or some form of evergreen and you can lay it as a teepee kind of tent. As you’re setting up your barrier, make sure you clear the snow off the ground where your shelter is.
The next important item is a source of heat. You need to build a fire as quickly as possible. There are multiple ways you can do this, but you always need to have the same wood-type progression which is, kindling and leaves and then sticks that are dry and are much larger. You can use a bow which can be made from a stick with a string tied on its ends, then a second stick wrapped around the string once. With wood or a rock at the top to apply pressure and some sticks at the bottom to collect the friction, you then take the bow back and forth. You then apply leaves and thin kindling, and you have your fire.
Now getting stuck out in the woods sounds a little extreme, so here is one last tip that will help no matter how much trouble you are. Make sure you can always get in contact with someone in case of an emergency. Bring either a cell phone or if one is not available at least tell someone you are going out. Never go out into the woods alone and unprepared for an accident. Being unprepared is the number one cause for losing to Mother Nature in the game of survival.

Random Sports: Extreme Ironing

2012-01-04T11:31:00.001-05:00

By: David Hicks

Extreme sports are very stupid and dangerous, and for reasons unknown to me they are growing around the world. From snowboarding to skateboarding, these crazy athletes do things to make their way to the top that are “extremely” stupid, like jumping off mountains and parachuting. This individual sport puts abnormality and stupidity together along with house work. Yes, house work. People have been competing in an extreme sport that has to do with one of the most annoying chores to do. Extreme Ironing is all about unshaken courage, balance, and being just plain crazy.
The object of this sport is self-explanatory. The participants have to find a spot to set up the ironing board and themselves in a crazy position, much like planking. Then they have to successfully iron a shirt without messing up. People have been on mountains, on cars, sky diving, and even underwater. Then they take pictures and send it in to try to become the worlds best ironer. This sports popularity is on the rise. It could one day be something to replace baseball or NASCAR.
This may be weird like extreme couponing which takes no athletic ability at all, but you don’t see the couponing people putting themselves in danger. I believe that soon enough you will see people one-upping each other with ironing boards. Until then look it up on your computer and get a first hand look where people have gone and been. Maybe you can be the next crazy man ironing his work clothes on a taxi going to work.

Block Scheduling

2012-01-03T14:25:00.000-05:00

By: Taryn Matheny

   As a senior in high school, I have had to go through two different types of scheduling. Given a choice, I would choose block scheduling over periods every time. In block scheduling, I was able to get a better understanding of the subjects that I was learning. It was easier when you had one 90 minute class to discuss things when you only have 3 other classes, then everything else doesn’t get confused. Now, however, I go to class, the teacher takes role and I go to my next class. That isn’t really how it goes, but classes are short and we don’t get nearly as much accomplished as before. I get how teachers think, because they can go over a lot more subject matter in a year long class they think you can get more accomplished, but how many kids will remember this stuff? You might cover more in a year long class, but it is very difficult to remember things when you have 7 other classes to keep track of as well.
   In block scheduling, I didn’t have a lot of homework and that might not sound like a good thing, but having a 90 minute class I was then able to get a lot more class work done. I wasn’t always able to understand things, but in a longer class, a teacher can explain things to me a lot easier than in a short 50 minute class. As a middle school student I had period scheduling and a big thing to look forward to was going to the high school and only having four classes a day. As a high school student there are so many extra-curricular activities that it’s just hard having homework every day after school. It is of course very possible to do this, but after a long hard practice that is the last thing you want to do. With block scheduling you have more to do in your classes and less to do after school which allows you to do all of these activities after school and not have to worry about homework.
   Block scheduling might not be the best to prepare you for college, but I know periods have their flaws. Block scheduling is a better schedule for high school students, because they are kids and have a lot of activities that they participate in after school, such as sports, clubs, and extra academics. They have a lot of extra-curricular activities that they have going on to deal with besides school. Yes, I understand that students are always complaining about how they want to be treated like adults, but the fact is they are not adults. You can give them more responsibilities as they get older, but there is a big difference between a freshman and a senior. The freshman would probably have better success with a block schedule, because that would give them more time to go over a specific subject instead of barely going over a lot of things and taking a test on them without really having an understanding on what you have just gone over.
   I understand that college students have jobs and different activities that they have going on as well, but they are all adults. Most high school students are just kids and they might want to be treated like adults, but the majority of the under classmen won’t be able to handle all of the work as well as the sports and other activities they have going on as well. We are being prepared to handle this for the future, but do it by giving a little bit more responsibility at a time and not by a schedule with shorter classes and more homework.
   Block scheduling and period scheduling both have their goods and their bads. In my experience, I would go with block scheduling, because that was what I was more comfortable with. I got a better understanding of my classes and it wasn’t as bad of work to deal with while doing sports. I think this is just a better schedule for high school students.

Holiday Traditions sometimes differ

2012-01-03T14:22:00.000-05:00

By: Taryn Matheny

   There are many holiday traditions that have changed or come about over the years. Families have their own traditions they like to do differently from others. Some families have a Christmas dinner with a big Christmas ham while other people have turkey or even deer meat instead for their dinner.
   Almost every family puts up Christmas lights outside to share their Christmas spirit. They may have a blow up Santa Clause or Frosty the Snowman in their front yard. They could have lights strung up all around the side of their house or hanging off of limbs on their trees.
   The tradition of the Christmas tree is also something that seems to have changed over the years. There is the traditional tree with lights and bulbs hanging from it. Some people cut down their own trees, other just by them at the store, and some people even hang theirs up upside down. The upside down Christmas tree has become a big thing recently as some people just wanted to try something different for their tradition.
   There is as well the mistletoe that hangs up and if you are caught under it with another person, you better be prepared for a kiss. Most kids love to set out cookies and milk for Santa Clause to eat as he brings them their presents. Another thing some people drink while they are with their family is eggnog.
   Parents sometimes let their kids open up gifts a little early, whether it is one present the day of Christmas Eve or one from their parents everyday until the day of Christmas. Families usually have to go to many different relatives homes to celebrate. They usually have to go to at least one on each side of the family.
   Traditions have changed and some have faded away while others have just recently come about. Everyone has their own traditions, from the upside down tree to the Christmas ham. It is something special to have those traditions, because every family has their own different way of doing things. New traditions will come and others will go, but Holiday traditions will always be here.

Have a charitable Christmas

2012-01-03T14:20:00.000-05:00

By: Sarah Smith

Every year there is a dramatic rise in charitable participation around the holiday season. People feel obliged to help out their fellow man in a time when it becomes apparent how much they have and how much some others don’t have. This increase is not just in charities that already exist, but also in charities that pop up solely for the holidays.

One such charity is Project Christmas Child which is sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief and evangelical organization. Participants are told to fill a shoe box with hygiene products, school supplies, clothes, and small toys which will then be sent to a child in a third-world country that would otherwise not get any holiday gifts.

Another charity that works around Christmas is the Angel Tree ministry. Angel Tree allows criminals serving time in prison to connect with their children around the holidays by sending them gifts through volunteer surrogates.

There are a multitude of charities to provide holiday cheer to underprivileged families, especially their children, in the winter months such as Toys for Tots and My Two Front Teeth. Toys for Tots collects anonymous toy donations at big-name stores like Wal-Mart and Target to distribute to children over the holidays. My Two Front Teeth works to give children traditional holiday cheer such as trees and Christmas dinners.

Lady Vikes look for successful year

2012-01-03T14:19:00.002-05:00

By: Taryn Matheny

   The Lady Vikings basketball team is ready to start getting some wins. They have had a couple of games so far and can improve from there. The team’s most recent game was a home game against South Charleston. They had an outstanding first half and were only down by one point at half time. The black eagles seemed to get a spark of energy after half time as they started off pressing the Vikings. The Lady Vikings continued to fight, but South Charleston forced some turnovers and then Ripley got into some foul trouble. Ripley continued to play hard against them, but was unable to come away with a victory with a final score of 63-35.
   The Lady Vikings also played the George Washington Patriots at home December 6. The team showed some good signs in making good passes and shots as well as hustling on defense. There were great performances by players on each team, but Ripley wasn’t able to come out with the win. The game ended with a final score of 70-50.
   “We won’t always get a win, but if we continue to play hard like that then we will have a lot more of them than losses,” said Coach Justin Frashier.
   The team has showed that they are able to play at a high level each game. The team has showed that they can win by winning a scrimmage earlier against Herbert Hoover with a score of 42-30. The team is looking to improve on there mistakes made in their scrimmages and games and to come away with some wins.
   “If we keep playing hard and improve on our mistakes then there can be a lot of games come out in our favor this season,” said Senior guard Rachel Stuck.
   The girls’ basketball team is looking to play hard and to get some wins this season. The Lady Vikes’ next game is December 20 at Sissonville, so if you get the chance you should come out and support them.

Wrestling team looks forward to amazing season

2012-01-03T14:19:00.001-05:00

By: Emma Shinn

This year, the wrestling team is looking forward to a possible “history making” season, according to senior wrestler Jarred Burdette. “Not only do we have the potential to beat the number 1 team, Parkersburg South,” Burdette said, “but we could also bring home the state title this year.”
Among those helping the 23-member squad work toward that State title win are team stars and former state champions Jarred Simpkins, a junior, and Adam Bicak and David Hicks, both seniors. A few wrestlers who have been deemed “people to watch” by our returning champions are Burdette, juniors Nate Starkey and Daryl Hicks, and freshman Jake Martin. Also leading the team is Coach Matt Smith, a Ripley High graduate and former State Champion in wrestling himself.
The season began November 14, and extends through February 25, which is the last day of state competitions. Official practices have been held every day since the start of the season except for Sundays and Thanksgiving. Prior to that, some members of the team attended summer practices as well.
The team works extremely hard and requires a great deal of dedication. According to Burdette, the most challenging part of the wrestling season is simply “keeping everyone on the team focused and working to improve every day.”
However, many (if not all) of the boys would say that the rigorous training is worth it. For Burdette, the most enjoyable and rewarding aspect of the sport is watching all the hard work pay off on the mat.
The first wrestling meet of this season was the South Parkersburg Quad, held December 3. Ripley defeated Buckhannon-Upshur and Cabell Midland, but was unfortunately beaten by Parkersburg South. The team took 2nd place overall. Our boys also beat out Huntington in their second meet, defeating the team that had previously been ranked one place above them.

Sarah Says: college won't guarantee you a job

2012-01-03T14:12:00.006-05:00

By: Sarah Smith

So, in my last column I discussed our generation feeling entitled to everything good in life. I mentioned that I would decide whether this feeling of entitlement was justified or not. That time is now.

Half of my brain really wants to say that we deserve to feel entitled. The other half wants to say that our entitlement is totally unfounded and ridiculous and we should just suck it up and grow some modesty.

If I’m being honest, neither reaction is correct. We don’t deserve to feel entitled; we’ve done nothing to earn the best of everything as a generation. Most of us don’t have college educations, full-time jobs, families to support, or any major responsibilities that we will face as adults. The catch comes not in what we have earned, but what we have been told we deserve. Our parents, teachers, and just about every adult we’ve ever encountered have told us since we’ve been born that if we fit a certain criteria, we can set about doing anything we want and the universe will morph itself to our request.

You might think, “Sarah, that’s ridiculous! Why on earth would our parents tell us something like that?”

That’s a really good question. I have no answer other than they don’t know what they’re doing to us. They tell us in such an indirect way that they don’t even notice what they’re saying. You might think this is still utter silliness, but let me continue.

Would you consider working at a fast food restaurant now? Okay, would you consider working at a fast food restaurant after you’ve graduated from high school? What about the same place after you’ve graduated from college? Odds are you wouldn’t dream of it. Why?

We’ve been told our entire lives that if we go to college studying and working very hard, we will be able to procure a job in our given field with a little effort but absolute certainty. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t actually work that way. Job markets are shrinking and our economy, quite frankly, sucks. The odds of us getting jobs in our desired field that pay enough to support us and our families are actually lower than the odds of us living at home for the rest of our natural born lives.

Well, why do adults tell us lies? Odds are they don’t know they’re lying. Our parents tell us these things because they hope that if we work hard and stay in school then we have a very good chance of getting a job. We add the “definitely” bit ourselves for some unknown reason. It is true: you almost have to have a college degree to get any decent job, but just because you have that degree does not guarantee you that decent job.

What we need to realize as a generation is that things are not black and white, cookie-cutter, or any other cliché term for cliché. We aren’t living a math problem: one life event plus another life event does not equal a perfect life. It’s possible that some of us could end up without jobs when we get to the age to enter the workforce, even if we all have really nice college degrees that we’ve framed and put up in our kitchen.

Here’s what’s great about…the Occupy movement

2012-01-03T14:12:00.003-05:00

By: Emma Shinn

Lately, I’ve been hearing people around our school and community commenting on the Occupy movement – the nationwide peaceful protest that began with Occupy Wall Street in September. I grant that there are people in Ripley who have formed their own opinions about the movement and it’s motives – negative or positive – from legitimate sources. However, the most common statements I’ve heard are “I don’t know anything about it” or “I disapprove because of [a reason that does not actually have anything to do with the Occupy movement].”
The briefest factual summary of the movement I can give is that September 17 of this year, a group of peaceful protestors gathered in Zuccotti Park in New York City to express their discontent with the imbalance of wealth in America. (The richest 1% of people currently hold 42% of our nation’s wealth). Protestors were also unhappy with the lack of legal actions taken against the corrupt bankers in charge of the banks that are largely responsible for our current economic crisis. Similar protests sprang up almost immediately across the nation, each with its own name depending on its location (Occupy Oakland, Occupy Seattle, etc).
While there are many misconceptions regarding the Occupy movement, the one that I am most interested in correcting is the belief that the majority of protestors and/or supporters are unemployed bums who spend their time mooching off the government. The fact of the matter is this: the Occupy movement represents “the 99%.” In other words, these protestors are fighting for the rights of anyone who is not one of the wealthiest people in America. Unless you can think of anyone in Ripley who rakes in billions of dollars a year, everyone you come into contact with is being represented by the Occupy protestors. Even the one who don’t agree with the movement.
However, our town may not be the best indicator of the overall tone of the movement and people’s response to it. National polls have shown that a majority of Americans either actively support the movement, or, while disagreeing with the protestors, contend that they do have a right to assemble if they want.
There seems to be a belief among some voters that they should dislike the movement because their favorite politician or their political party does. In many cases, however, this is not true either. Republican presidential candidates Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Buddy Roemer, and Gary Johnson have all expressed support for the movement and its message. I have yet to hear a Democrat publicly denounce the movement.
There are also those who are actually a part of the 99%, but oppose the protests on the grounds that it isn’t fair to the 1%, and that people are being needlessly targeted just for being wealthy. Unfortunately, that argument falls apart when you realize that a large number of 1%-ers (including celebrities and business moguls) actually support the movement themselves and claim they would not mind using their wealth to help meet the demands of the Occupy movement. Ways of going about that would vary depending on which 1%-er you were looking at.
One idea that has been mentioned on both sides of the economic scale is reversing the Bush Tax Cuts which would leave the 1% paying higher taxes, once again proportional to their counterparts in the 99%. Another method would be for people such as movie stars, sports players, and high-ranking business associates to take pay cuts in order to free up money that could be used to create and pay for new jobs.
Basically, all I’m asking is this: keep an open mind about these protests. Nobody is being unfairly punished (except those Americans who work themselves to the bone and have next to nothing to show for it), and nobody is being unfairly attacked (except the protestors who have been subject to police brutality for simply sitting on a sidewalk or standing in a park, and starting the occasional chant). If the demands of these protests were met by our government, it would mean nothing but good things for the people in our community and people like them all across America.
For more information on the Occupy movement, you can go to www.occupytogether.org or www.occupywallst.org. And remember, sometimes things aren’t about party politics. Some things are legitimately about taking care of other people, and fighting for the best interests of all of us.

Well-known Christmas symbols have unusual origins

2012-01-03T14:12:00.001-05:00

By: Lynzi Acree
Have you ever wondered what a pine tree has to do with Christ’s birth? Or mistletoe? Or what the Easter Bunny and his eggs have to do with Jesus waking up three days after being crucified?
The answer, to be perfectly honest, is absolutely nothing. These are all traditions which vastly predate Christianity. But why are they related now? Wonder no longer, dear reader, as your questions have been answered here!
Why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25 when Jesus was probably born around September? Well, you have Roman Emperor Constantine to thank for that. In the fourth century, Constantine converted to Christianity and took all of Rome with him. There was a Pagan Winter Solstice celebration of the changing seasons every year on the 25th called Brumabia and a celebration leading up to it called Saturnailia taking place December 17-24. When Rome converted to Christianity, they didn’t want to lose their celebrations, so the festival became Christmas, no longer a birthday party for the Sun God, but now for the Son of God.
Why do we kiss under the mistletoe? Mistletoe was sacred to the Sun God and was thought to have great healing power. Kissing under the mistletoe was a celebration of the changing seasons, the death of the “old sun” and the birth of the new winter.
Why do we bring trees inside to celebrate? This tradition was first found in Egypt. Among many other cultures, the Egyptians treasured plants that remained living when everything else died. When winter solstice arrived, green palm leaves were brought inside to symbolize life’s triumph over death. Pine trees ended up being the universal “Christmas Tree” because they always stay green, even when everything else freezes over.
Who’s Santa Claus? Not to burst your bubble, but St. Nicholas (the closest person to Santa that ever lived) has been long dead for centuries. He was a Roman Catholic Bishop who gave dowries to the three daughters of a poor man thus beginning the tradition of giving gifts in secret. This tradition was continued with the idea of Santa and, in some areas, the three wise men who brought gifts to baby Jesus.
What other Pagan traditions are still around? Pagan traditions are hanging around everywhere from the exchange of wedding rings to Valentine’s Day and, as we’ve seen, Christmas. Easter was originally a celebration of Eastre, Pagan Goddess of spring and fertility. Eastre had a pet rabbit who laid eggs, representing fertility. Hence, the Easter Bunny and his eggs. Our collective past as humans is everywhere, understanding it is only half the story; appreciating it is the other.

Need something to do?

2012-01-03T10:18:00.002-05:00

If you find yourself lounging around the house on a snow day and decide you or your little siblings could do with a fun treat, you should check out the following recipe. Peppermint Pals

Adopt-A-Family creates holiday cheer

2012-01-03T10:16:00.000-05:00

“It can have a big impact. It means whether or not a family has a Christmas dinner. It means they have presents for the family,” states an anonymous benefactor of the Adopt-A-Family program (referred to from now on as “Anonymous”).

As the holiday season approaches, some begin to ponder what they hope to receive as a part of the festivities. While one could wish for a wide variety of fancy things, others hope for warm clothes for their family, some food, and maybe a toy or two for their child. Thankfully, programs like Adopt-A-Family are in place to help those households to meet their needs. Adopt-A-Family allows people to “adopt” a family; that is, they can donate necessities to a family in the local area. Items we may take for granted can be given to the family to help ensure them a better Christmas.

Of course, just because there is a program in place, doesn’t mean that help reaches everyone who needs it. Last year, 23 families were not “adopted” by the program. It may not seem like the largest number in the world, but that could be a father, mother, and children wishing for warmer clothes. It could be a struggling single parent providing for a few different children. The individual who spoke to us about the help they received comes from a home that houses five. If you need a better idea still of how many need the help, last year there were 205 local families in need, 48 of those being elderly couples.

“[Without the donations], it would not have been a great time for my family,” says Anonymous.

Certainly, quite a few of us could look through our closets and find a coat from our childhood scattered around; perhaps some gloves that just don’t fit anymore, and maybe even a few scattered toys. These things could just lie around in your house gathering dust, or they could be given to someone who would appreciate it in their troubled times.

“It brings the family closer because they have something to celebrate on Christmas day.”

How Thanksgiving came to be

2011-11-28T14:09:00.001-05:00

Most people don’t know this, but Thanksgiving wasn’t actually a “real” holiday until 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed “Thanksgiving Day”. People believe that in 1621 when the pilgrims came over that they celebrated the first Thanksgiving, which is not true. Yes, the pilgrims had a gathering and gave thanks for their three-day feast, but it wasn’t called Thanksgiving yet.
The pilgrims came over on the Mayflower and settled on Plymouth Rock December 11, 1620. Their first winter was a harsh one. There were 102 who sailed over on the Mayflower, but the following fall there were only 46 left. In 1621 the remaining colonists celebrated their new beginning in America, with a feast, along with the 91 natives that helped the Pilgrims through their first year. After that the “Thanksgiving” feast was not celebrated again until many years later.
Edward Rawson a clerk, proclaimed June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. In 1789, when George Washington proclaimed “National Day of Thanksgiving”, people were opposed to it. Later President Thomas Jefferson opposed the idea of having a day of thanksgiving, because he felt like there was a discord among colonies. President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. Every president after Lincoln proclaimed the holiday.
No matter how you celebrate Thanksgiving, it means something different to everyone. The term “turkey” was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl. Pumpkin pie is something that is a tradition we have now days, but something they had back then. There was no flour, so there was no bread or pastries. The Pilgrims did boil pumpkin and they produced a type of bread from their corn crops. Another example is the cornucopia. The cornucopia is a basket that food is held in as a decoration or where food is placed. The one major constant is the feast that goes back many years ago to the Pilgrims’ first year in America.

The Band Concert

2011-11-28T14:06:00.002-05:00

One thing our school is known for is out awesome band. Our band has won a lot of rewards and has made Ripley proud. The band director Mrs. Poole has done an outstanding job with teaching and coaching all the band members to be as good as they are.

December 18, there is going to be a band concert in the auditorium Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Right before the band gets started the jazz band will be performing as an opening to the band concert. During the performance the songs Coventry Carol, Feliz Navidad, Christmas on the March, Hallelujah its Christmas, plus a few other bonus songs with be played. There are a few weeks before the play so the soloist if any, have not yet been determined.

The band consists of 132 students and 35 of them seniors. This concert and the spring concert will be the senior members last at Ripley High.

The band also does marching performances at competitions and at our football games.

When asked, Mrs. Pool says that “the students prefer marching band because of all the excitement and the fun music”.

Concert band is where the learning takes place. The band members are taught the importance of balance, blend and dynamics. This helps the students have a great concert band, but also a fun and exciting marching band next year.

Harry Potter DVD exceeds expectations

2011-11-28T14:04:00.000-05:00

By: Lynzi Acree

At first glance, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 two DVD special edition seems bare and not worth the time and money. On the first DVD, you have the movie itself and deleted scenes. On the second DVD, you have all of three extra features. This short list does not build confidence in the quality of this “Special Edition.”
The movie itself is good, but two thirds of the time, you can’t see anything due to poor lighting. The parts that are dark are really dark and the parts that are bright are really bright and it seems to take until the very end for the lighting crew to find a decent balance where you can actually see more than one pale face in the middle of a black screen.
The deleted scenes look promising, but then you watch them. As soon as you watch even one, you realize that these are not the regular deleted scenes that add another dimension to the movie. Some of them are nothing more than one, maybe two extra lines of unnecessary dialogue. One deleted scene does nothing more than spoil the surprise in what would be the following scene. These deleted scenes were taken out for the sake of making the movie slightly shorter without taking out any important content. I was very disappointed in them.
The second DVD includes: A Conversation Between Daniel Radcliffe and J.K. Rowling, The Goblins of Gringotts, and The Women of Harry Potter. The conversation between the man who played Harry and the woman who wrote the books is much better than you could expect. It’s full of jokes and secrets they couldn’t tell us until the movies were over. The Goblins of Gringotts is a documentary about finding the people to play the goblins and doing their make up and the processes behind it. It’s fun to watch someone go from being a normal human to being a goblin. The Women of Harry Potter is about all the different female characters and how the actresses and the author feel about them.
All in all, upon viewing, the DVD is much better than could be anticipated based on the small amount of information on the box.

World half empty or half full?

2011-11-28T13:55:00.000-05:00

By: Lynzi Acree

October 31, the world population officially hit 7 billion. While there is no way to be exactly sure, this number is estimated based on statistics.
Some may be wondering about the implications of this amount of people; is it a good thing or a bad thing? The truth is, 7 billion is a really freaking-huge number. Nine zeroes do not reasonably represent the sheer magnitude of how many 7 billion is.
According to CNN.com, if you filled 7 billion average-sized thimbles with water, that water could fill at least 5 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Seven billion seconds ago, it was 1789.
Pessimistically and realistically, this is a horrible, awful, really bad milestone for the population to hit. We are running out of room and resources quickly. Many experts would agree that the carrying capacity of the Earth is approximately 10 billion humans, and that number is far too close for comfort. No one can really know what will happen when we reach carrying capacity. We can’t even be sure of the number the population will grow to before that mysterious thing happens, but it would probably be very bad.
In my opinion, the best thing would be if we could control the population before we got anywhere near the carrying capacity. A good way to do this is to integrate women into the work force so that they no longer feel their only purpose is to take care of their family. Some countries don’t make any governmental effort to execute a plan like this. Another competent method is education. You can’t just hand out birth control pills; you have to teach people how to use contraceptives. This method usually gradually lowers the population. The most efficient system is to limit the number of children each couple can have, like China.
In the entire world, there are 15,641,597,556 acres of habitable land. That’s more than twice 7 billion, but much of that is covered in forests or used for growing crops and cattle, or other food sources. The more people there are, the more land we need for food sources, and the more land we need for living space. Eventually, there may be no more room for either. What then?
Well, Thomas Malthus theorized that when the Earth became overcrowded, war and plague would break out until the population was considerably smaller, if not completely extinct.
If our options are population control or extinction, odds are most people would choose population control.

Students weigh in on fads

2011-11-18T14:14:00.002-05:00

By: Tabitha Hudnall

Over the years society has witnessed many fads. Some are timeless while others come and go within a week. This is an undeniable part of our culture. It’s hard to pinpoint where a fad comes from. One day you walk down the street or hallway and see someone wearing nice shoes or a cool new hair style. The next thing you know everyone is where the same shoes and the same hair style. It’s a common thing we see with teenagers. Fads include more than clothes though. There are fads in music and movies as well. The newspaper contributed a survey on what the selected students here at Ripley High thought about the subject.

Results show what types of fads students have noticed among the hallways this fall. The most widely noticed were, “fuzzy boots, feathers in people’s hair, skinny jeans, band t-shirts, Sperry’s, and hair poufs.” Eighty-nine percent of the students that took the survey said they have seen fads around the school, but only thirty-two percent admitted to being in a fad. This may be due to students trying to find their own individuality and not wanting to admit being a part of a fad. Some causes of fads spreading are due to widely watched teen shows such as “Jersey Shore”. Teens watch these shows and see styles that capture their attention, so as the result these styles get passed along and turn into fads. Not everybody watches these shows though, so these styles depend on your tastes.

Movies are a big part of entertainment nowadays and fads also go along with them. Recently the big craze has been movies with lots of gore, horror, and drama. Remakes of movies such as “Footloose” and “The Thing” have been common as well. The very well known “Twilight” saga is a hot topic in the movie world as well, and they also bring along clothing fads such as the “Team Edward, Team Jacob” t-shirts. Teens and adults as well love these movies because they include romance, gore, and drama all in one. These movies spark people’s attention because they have all the components that teenagers love and can’t get enough of.

Music will always have its fads that go along with it. In the 60’s and 70’s it was the hippy phase and in the 80’s it was big hair and bright spandex. Today with music we see lots of pop, rap, and hardcore bands. Our surveys gave examples like Lil Wayne for rap, Rihanna and Lady Gaga for pop, and Asking Alexandria for hardcore. Each genre has fashions that go along with them. If you happen to look around the hallways you will see these types of fashions every day. Skinny jeans, baggy t’s, poufed up hair, we’ve seen it all. I think one of the reasons our styles change is due to music. Bands tend to start their own styles that fans like to follow.

Everyone has their opinions on new styles and fads and whether they think they are good or bad is up to them. Fads are good in the sense that they bring groups of people that have similar tastes together. This can also lead to bad outcomes though because it can leave people out.

So next time you are walking to class, at a sports event, or just walking through Wal-Mart, look around and notice the many types of fads our generation currently has. Before you know it they will be gone and new styles will emerge. It is in our nature to change, whether it’s the clothes we wear, movies we watch, or music we listen to.

Boys Basketball prepped for promising season

2011-11-18T08:09:00.001-05:00

As we near December, we get even closer to the high school basketball season. It’s the squeaks on the floor, the frantic action between players and the opposing team, and the unpredictability of the sport that attracts crowds to cheer for their favorite side year after year. If you’re a fan of our Vikings, it is hard not to be pumped this year; the last two seasons have seen our boys’ basketball team consistently win 15 out of 24 of their games.

It would be hard not to talk about our basketball team without mentioning the loss of 2011 graduate Chase Fischer. Scoring a total of 2213 points during his years on the team, his absence will certainly ensure the team steps up its game and rises to the occasion. Players like senior Cody Miller are likely to help lead the team to success in the 2011-2012 season. Miller averages around 15 points per game, has quite a nice record of 2-point shots from last season, and has scored 351 points total over his 2 years playing basketball on the Viking team. As far as stats go, Miller is one of the team’s best assets.

“Things are definitely looking up, and my pappy always said that looking up is better than looking down.” Coach Craig Harmon said in regards to the upcoming season, and shared how he motivates the team when morale is low.

“I tell them to play like it's their last time playing; play like a senior!”

Each year the team seems to perform even better than the year before. Couple that with the fact that the team won a lot of their games with a huge point difference and that the games the team did lose were often very close, this year proves to be very promising for our boys basketball team.

Sleep deprivation and you; the real deal

2011-11-17T14:24:00.003-05:00

By: Logan Moore

Are you getting enough sleep? Studies from the American Psychological Association (APA) think not. People have an internal clock, which affects what time you get tired. In younger aged kids, the clock hits the hour of tired at about 8 or 9 p.m. Once kids hit puberty, they don’t get tired until about 11 p.m., or even later! As you can see, this can be a problem for many high school students. How are we supposed to get our nine hours if our body doesn’t let us sleep until late in the night?

A survey was sent out to English classes of every grade level in the high school to see how many hours students get of sleep each night. Sixty-seven percent of the males surveyed get seven or more hours of sleep each night, whereas only 49 percent of females get seven or more hours of sleep. That’s almost a 20 percent difference, folks. There are many possible reasons for this. Perhaps the guys are more active during the day, and get tired earlier. Girls could be staying up later to study or do homework.

The APA shows that only 15 percent of teenagers were reported sleeping for eight-and-a-half hours or more on a school night. Most of us teenagers tend to have wonky sleeping patterns during the week. We typically stay up late, and sleep late during the weekends, which can affect our biological clocks and mess up our sleep schedules. If teens don’t get enough sleep, their ability to listen, learn, and concentrate is limited. They are also more prone to pimples, and no one likes pimples. Sleep affects hormones that control glucose metabolism and appetite. Not to mention that inflammation and insulin resistance can also lead to acne.

There are many different solutions for a sleeping problem. Try making a set bed and wake-up time; it will help you keep on schedule and keep you more refreshed.

Make sleeping a priority! Sleep is a necessity for the body. Just like eating and drinking: sleep is not an option. Extreme sleep deprivation can cause death, just as sure as starvation does. You need sleep to feel well rested and concentrate during the day.

Don’t do homework and/or study so late at night. If you’re tired for the big test tomorrow, then you probably won’t do well anyway. Making the necessary adjustments will change you from the zombie you usually are into a fantastic little sunflower.

Animal overpopulation growing problem

2011-11-17T14:21:00.000-05:00

When I was younger I would count all the dead animals that were by the road any time we were out driving. There were always way too many. There were cats, dogs, deer, and even birds. It seemed like no animal was safe. It’s been happening more and more due to animal overpopulation.

Animal overpopulation is a serious problem. It is impossible to determine just how many stray cats and dogs live in the U.S., but it is estimated to be about 70 million for cats alone.

According to humanesociety.org, a fertile cat can have up to two litters a year, with 4-6 kittens each litter. The average fertile dog produces one litter a year; the average number of puppies is 4-6 each. IDAUS.org estimated that in only seven years, a female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats. In just six years, one female dog and her brood can produce as many as 67,000 puppies.

ASPCA.org says seven dogs and cats are born every day for each person born in the U.S. Only one in five puppies and kittens stays in original home all it’s life. The other four are abandoned to the streets to freeze to death or end up in a shelter. It costs U.S. taxpayers an estimated $2 billion each year to round up, house, kill, and dispose of homeless animals. It costs more money to raise a litter of kittens than it does to spay/neuter one. The cost of spaying/neutering a pet depends on the on its weight, size, and what kind of animal it is

Catnetstanford.edu estimated that every 1.5 seconds a shelter animal is killed. That’s 192,308 per week, or 27,437 pets euthanized every 24 hours, 365 days a year. If you have room in your heart and home, consider adopting from an animals shelter. An estimated 3.7 million animals are euthanized in shelters each year across the U.S. You have the ability to change that. Just think of how shelter animals feel when they see somebody walking into the shelter and they know that they might finally be getting a home with somebody who will love and take care of them instead of living in a cage. Think of how it feels for them when it doesn’t happen because you wanted a breed they didn’t have. Those animals hope. They hope that one day somebody will come for them, love them. Instead, they are euthanized because you were too picky. Adopt from a shelter, because those animals will love you for saving their life.

Sterilizing dogs and cats more than we already do can drastically reduce the number of puppies and kittens born so that shelters can care for, and place, those that are already there, in loving homes.

IDAUS.org advices you to adopt animals from shelters. If you have room in your heart and home, consider adopting from an animals shelter. An estimated 3.7 million animals are euthanized in shelters each year across the U.S. You have the ability to change that.

Any site will advice pet owners to put collars and ID tags on your animal friends so you can get them back if they get lost. Ask your vet to implant a microchip under their skin for permanent identification. Also try to prevent your dog or cat from getting lost in the first place. Secure your yard. Consider keeping cats indoors, as they live longer than outdoor cats.

If you don’t have the money to spay/neuter your pat, go to getyourfix.org. There are people who will sponsor you. They will give you their own money to help spay/neuter your animals. There are people put there that will help you. They want to help stop the massacre of innocent animals.

By: Megan Mobley

Veterans' Day Ceremony

2011-11-17T14:19:00.001-05:00

By: Taryn Matheny

   This is the second year in a row that our school has conducted a Veterans’ Day assembly to honor the veterans that live around town and some that are relatives to kids in our own school. The ceremony was hold November 10 in the auditorium and it was packed full. All students were in attendance, and some of them even had to stand up on the side of the walls. This ceremony has come about to honor the men and women that have fought for our country.
   “I thought it was a great ceremony, and I get to look at the people who have helped fight for our country,” Said Senior Kenny Yonkosky.
A number of veterans were in attendance on this day. The veterans were guest speakers in the history classes throughout the morning. This gave them a chance to talk to kids about what they have been through and to tell their stories. It gives them a chance to inform our students about history and to help them realize about what goes on in our military branches.
   “I got a chance to listen to veterans about their life stories and it was very interesting to listen to as well as helped me understand more about the military,” Said Senior Anthony Michael.
   During the ceremony Student Council President Dalton Border opened up with the pledge of allegiance and then had a moment of silence. The students were all in unison as they sang our National Anthem next. Veteran Tome Reynolds spoke to the audience about his military background and what being a part of the Army means to him. Principal Will Hosaflook recognized every veteran as he called their name and had them stand. The Choir sang all of the military anthems as well as other songs during the ceremony. The ceremony was a great success and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
   “It really felt great to sing the military anthems for the different veterans that stood before us, and it seemed like they enjoyed it as well,” said Senior Choir Member Will Mullins.
   This ceremony is something that should happen throughout all high schools in the United States. It honors the men and women that have fought for our country as well as honoring the ones that have lost their lives. The assembly lets us remember that there is a reason we have the lives we do, because we have men and women fighting for us everyday to have and keep them. This ceremony was a great success and we will continue to have it each year.

Things to do over Thanksgiving Break

2011-11-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

By: Anni Ashworth

Thanksgiving is a national time for American families to come together, give thanks, and gain tons of weight from all the delicious food. But as students, we continue to find ourselves with nothing to do over the week-long break every year it rolls around. To help with that boredom, here are a few possibilities.

• Hunting is of course a necessity during break. More than likely, half the population of Ripley spends their entire week in the woods all day.
• Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade has been around for 85 years this November. It’s a classic way to get in the holiday groove. Plus it’s really interesting to see what crazy ideas people have.

• Volunteering at a local food pantry is always open, too. Or even just making an extra dish of food to be donated to those pantries to people that can’t afford Thanksgiving dinner.

• Football is a must. Thanksgiving is the time for huge rivalries. For example, West Virginia University VS Pitt is on the 25th.

• There’s Black Friday shopping as well, because who wouldn’t want to be trampled in order to get that perfect deal on that perfect outfit?

• Doing all that homework you’ve been putting off so you don’t have to cram it in the day before is a really good idea too. Being a procrastinator is not always a good thing, especially when you complain about having nothing to do every day you have off.

• Basically, just spend time with your family doing the little things you love. There’s no reason to ever complain about having nothing to do. Would you rather be in school those five days?

Girl's Basketball

2011-11-17T14:18:00.002-05:00

By: Taryn Matheny
   The girls’ basketball team has been shooting and doing workouts for this season since after last season ended. The coach of the Lady Vikings is Justin Frashier and the assistant coach is John Kennedy. They began practicing Monday, November 7. This year the team is looking to seriously compete against the other teams in their conference. A couple of the teams they are working toward beating is George Washington and South Charleston.
   The Lady Vikings have a number of returning players, including a number of seniors. The returning players from last season are seniors: Rachel Stuck, Ryne Hill, Bethany Thomas, and Paige Smith, juniors: Jillian Mullins and Mellissa Hughgart, and sophomores: Kensey Bergdorf, Michalia Parsons, Sarah Williams, and Chelsey Hager.
   “This team has done a lot to improve themselves over the off-season and I am looking forward to coaching this season,” said Head Coach Justin Frashier.
   The Vikings really feel they have what it takes to compete in their conference this season. They have been shooting during the off-season as well as running on the track and bleachers. They are willing to put the hard work and extra effort into it if that is what it will take to have success this season. They Lady Vikings will continue to practice hard to prepare for their first game.
   “A lot of us have really been working hard in the off season and I think that will really give us a big improvement over last season,” said Senior Rachel Stuck.
   The girls’ first game is December 6 at home against George Washington. If you want to see a good basketball game, then you should take this opportunity to come and watch your Lady Vikes.

WVUs move to the Big 12

2011-11-17T14:17:00.000-05:00

By: Anni Ashworth
West Virginia University moving to the Big 12 is the biggest news the state has had in a while. It’s been obvious for weeks that WVU no longer wants to be a part of the Big East. But the fact that there is only one familiar team on future schedules is sort of mind blowing.

There are many new opportunities for the Mountaineers in the Big 12 Conference. The team is the second new member to join the Conference since it began in 1996, the other being TCU, and will start participating athletically July 1, 2012. Consisting of Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech, the Big 12 Conference has won 42 team-national championships and 492 NCAA individual crowns. The new addition won’t only benefit the other teams, because WVU will be a power house among power houses, but it will help the conference in the long run too.

The road to the Big 12 hasn’t been the easiest, however. There was a huge debate over whether WVU’s resignation from the Big East was true because their original contract required them to wait a 27-month waiting period before it was official. WVU’s loophole was the fact that in that same contract, the Big East was required to keep the football conference viable, but failed to do so. It’s pretty clear that the Big East knows with the loss of WVU their conference will basically disappear which is why they fought as hard as they could to get the team to stay.

Another downside to the conference redistribution is the potential loss of the Backyard Brawl. The West Virginia vs. Pitt game has been a tradition since 1895, but with the Mountaineers’ Big 12 schedule containing nine conference match ups, they only have three non-conference games to try to jam the rivalry into.

Overall, I believe the move promises West Virginia University new stability and credibility for years to come. When the 2012-13 season comes around, it is expected that the Big 12 Conference will be the best opportunity the Mountaineers have had in a long time.

Fuzzy Friends: Future of America?

2011-11-17T14:06:00.000-05:00

Alpaca farming is a growing industry in America, especially in West Virginia. There are over 300 alpaca farms in America, including the 24 in West Virginia. As a resident of an alpaca farm, I have quite a bit of knowledge on this particular subject.

The goal is to raise the alpacas for their fleece and sell the fleece for profit. The fleece is used for yarn to make clothing items. Alpaca fiber is 5-6 times warmer than wool, and it doesn’t contain lanolin or oil. Lanolin is the item in wool that so many people are allergic to. You could also sell alpaca beans (manure) as fertilizer. It is very clean, contains no parasites, and it is odorless. A major purpose is to sell and breed alpacas to other farms and other prospective farms.

Many people think that alpacas and llamas are the same thing, but they are not. Although, they look similar, they do have differences. Alpacas’ weight can vary from 125- 200 pounds, with a median of 160 pounds. Llamas’ weight varies from 300-400 pounds, with a median of 340 pounds. Alpaca fleece is softer than llama fleece, making it easier to work with when turning the fibers into yarn. Alpaca fleece is also much more comfortable on the skin.

Alpacas aren’t your average, everyday animals. They have quite a personality that is different with each one of them. A lot of them can be very friendly while others can have obnoxious minds of their own. Overall, they are considered to be intelligent animals, which are for the most part easy to work with. For instance, one of the alpacas that we have on our farm, Kingsley, thinks that he is a dog. He tends to run and jump on people just to get closer to their faces. He loves attention, he loves to be petted as a dog would, and tries to lick your face.

Another one of our alpacas is the absolute opposite of Kingsley, and his name is Joe. He is not friendly, and has a very arrogant attitude. He acts like he owns the whole farm and everyone residing there. He has that mentality because at the farm he lived on before ours he was a stud, and practically ran the whole pack. A stud is who the majority of female alpacas are mated with. Now that he is on our farm, he has been fixed and is no longer a stud. His attitude shows that he clearly still thinks he is.

Alpaca farms are helpful to our economy by developing another textile industry similar to wool. It would be another “home grown”, American made item for the U.S.A.

Local alpaca farmer Averill Perdue said he got into the alpaca farming business because, “I think it’s a great time to enter into alpaca farming. The market has been down for the last couple of years and it is rebounding nicely in late 2011. That’s why we’ve made huge investments in 2011.”

Alpaca facts:

Alpacas originate from Peru!

Alpacas have odd fighting mechanisms. They have teeth in the back of their mouths that are curved sharply backward to rip off body parts of the enemy!

Female alpacas carry their babies to term up to 11 months! Most alpaca farmers wait about a week after they give birth before breeding them again. Female alpacas spend the majority of their adult lives pregnant.

By: Danielle Vealey

Random sport: Hornussen

2011-11-17T12:27:00.001-05:00

By: David Hicks

There are plenty of crazy sports that don’t seem like a good idea to do and plenty more that are not safe to do. This is one of those games. Hornussen originated from the sheep fields of Switzerland. Shepherds wanted a game that was fun, a cardio work out, and required a lot of people to play to create camaraderie with the other shepherds. Herding is a long and lonely job taken place in the fields away from towns. So, when given a chance they wanted to play, and that is how this game came into existence. It’s been around since the 1600 and is now apart of the Swiss leagues and tournament that are popular today.

This game is much like tee-ball and hockey mixed in with the strength and iron wits. A puck or hurnuss is put on top of a ramp and is stuck there with a special type of clay. The hurnuss is hit by a whipping type stick with a wooden solid cylinder attached at the end. Each player gets two hits each and the velocity of the hurnuss reaches up to 300 km/h, which is approximately 184 mi/h. The score of the hit is related to the distance on how far the puck gets from the ramp.

The fun part is that you are not just hitting it and waiting for it to land; you have a group of people, or another team, trying to bat your ball down. A team holding schindels, or sticks with a catching board on it, tries to throw the schindels up in the air to hit and knock the puck down. Once every person on the team has hit twice, the teams switch and the hitting team becomes the defensive team.

These players must really be crazy. Even if there have been about two cases a year of injuries occurring, you still have a plausible chance to lose an eye. This is a sport of true courage and just being able to gut it out and conquer your natural fear. So if you ever want to have a rush and play baseball at the same time, get some buddies and play hornussen, because you are guaranteed a giant dose of crazy to spice up the rest of your day.

Singers ready to preform

2011-11-17T12:26:00.001-05:00

By: David Hicks

It’s about the time for the beautiful sounds of singing and magnificent music to hit the air of Ripley High School. This December, the Concert Choir and Chamber Choir will be holding a concerted with the theme of Christmas in mind. The Mixed Choirs will be singing an assortment of songs including: Ding-a Ding-a Ding by: Greg Giplin, A Christmas Carol by: Charles Ives, A Rhapsody of Christmas by: Ed Lojeski, and Do You Hear What I Hear by: Harry Simeone, and many more.

The responsibility for being able to play this great show comes from the hard work from the students participating in choir. One of them, senior Maci Oiler, is a great example of natural talent. With her very beautiful and gifted voice Oiler is ready to start the show and to have fun with this year’s concert.

“I’m really excited to perform these pieces. Although I’m sad, I’m pumped to sing my last Christmas concert,” commented Oiler.

After John Ryder left last year, a new dominent figure takes the light of the choir teacher. Lily Corathers has been preparing these students and has been working hard to make these beautiful voices as good as they could be.

“Mrs. Corathers is a very good teacher and has been an awesome mentor to all of us,” says Oiler. “She works really hard to teach us and I feel that we will do find singing in different concerts this year.”

To see the choir sooner, you can go to the Tasty Cup Cakery in Ripley on Saturday November 19^th, where they will be singing for a fundraiser. The Toys for Tots program will be collecting toys as the students sing, so go on down and be mystified by the voices of angels.

"Call of Duty" out in stores

2011-11-17T12:22:00.002-05:00

By: David Hicks

Gaming fans all around the world were lined up Monday, the 14th of November to wait until the clock struck midnight and the gaming experience of a lifetime was available to the public. I am talking about the new “Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 3,” which has been an anticipated game since the talk of its creation was in several gaming magazines through out the summer.

“Modern Warfare 3” is a first-person shooter game that takes place in the present day. The player will play as different characters attempting different objectives and tasks to complete the mission. The health is the same from the previous games which is determined by how red, which represents blood, your screen is. You will also be accompanied by several soldiers who can not be issued orders on campaign.

There is a different game mode on this game that has people excited. It’s a survival mode that the player or his cooperative partners face until they die. Unlike the popular Nazi zombies, the computer opponents will spawn at different tactical positions that just going through the designated point of entry.

You can also be awarded several various perks along with your kill streak now. Instead of having just juggernaut which makes you almost undefeatable, after you get so many kills you can have focus or kick which affect how efficiently you fire your weapon. Also, you can get many other supply drops that intensify the game and make the experience one that will make other games look like toys for tots.

This game is in stores now worth about $60.00 at Wal-Mart and will more than likely to the sale record the “Call of Duty: Black ops” set on its five-day opening sale. This is for all systems and is a large step in the gaming community with both graphics and gameplay.

'Once Upon a Time' magical new show

2011-11-16T14:16:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time, the universe smiled down on the masses of bored television audiences and gave us the aptly named series “Once Upon a Time”. The plot premise is a little confusing, but see if you can keep up: Prince Charming, AKA James, and Snow White have just been married when the Evil Queen crashes their wedding and informs everyone present that she is poised to put a curse on the entire kingdom that will ruin everyone’s lives and put a stop to all happy endings. The residents of the kingdom fret about this curse for over three years without anything actually happening until Snow White is about to give birth to her first child, a daughter named Emma. That very day, the curse (in form of a large, black cloud) immerses the kingdom. The Prince puts Emma in a magical cabinet to protect her and watches as she disappears right before he is killed by the Queen’s soldiers.

Meanwhile, in an alternate reality, a now adult Emma lives alone as a bounty hunter in Boston. She is found by Henry, the son she gave up for adoption 10 years ago, who asks her for a ride home. Turns out he lives in Maine, in a little town called Storybrook (story book, get it?) and he is convinced that everyone in town is a fairy tale character trapped between worlds, frozen in time. He begs Emma to help him save everyone from the Evil Queen, who is now the mayor of Storybrook and Henry’s adopted mother. He bases his evidence on a mysterious book that tells all the stories from the other universe including the one of Emma’s destiny to someday save everybody from the curse.

The premise is crazy and interesting to explore as long as you don’t mind that Gennifer Goodwin is playing the mother of someone who looks older than her and overlook the plot hole of Henry growing up in a town where nobody ages. The cast chemistry is electric and amazing and all the characters are so dynamic and original that you could spend hours analyzing characters alone. Goodwin as Snow White quietly steals every scene she’s in, and occasionally if the scene already belongs to her, she’ll give it to someone else and then graciously steals it back. This is especially surprising because her character is soft-spoken and gentle. She doesn’t take scenes by mugging the person it belongs to; she more asks politely for them and they are gladly handed over. She radiates with a quiet wisdom, and you just want to trust her.

Lana Parilla is absolutely poisonous as the Queen. She occasionally comes off too harsh, but she balances these moments with times of a smooth voice and dangerous quiet. Jared Gilmore is one of the best child actors on TV today, and he pulls off the precociousness of Henry perfectly.

This is one show that may be difficult to catch up with if you miss too many episodes, but it’s definitely worth watching, so I’d suggest beginning watching as soon as possible. You don’t want to be left behind.

Sarah Says: students need to step up

2011-11-16T14:14:00.001-05:00

How did we become a generation of doing exactly and only as much as we need to get by? I don’t remember a time in high school when I sat down to write a paper and thought “I’m going to spend as much time as needed to make this the best paper possible.” No, usually I’m still wiping sleep from my eyes and thinking “what exactly do I need to do to get credit for this paper?” the morning it’s due. My fellow students brag about how little time they spend on projects and the winner is usually the guy that did his project in his spare time the class period before it was due. Why is that? How did we become a generation that celebrates the art of procrastinating and getting by?

Depending on your mindset, you can either blame us or our teachers. You can blame our teachers if you believe it’s their job to somehow give us study skills and habits. You can blame us if you think we should have developed these study skills on our own in some way. You could even blame our parents if you think time management is their responsibility.
Personally, I’m going to blame students. We should have developed these study skills out of necessity when we were younger (you know, the same necessity of having to do homework and study for tests in order to pass a class that we have now as high schoolers). We can’t depend on someone else to teach us these skills, or we’ll drop them as soon as they stop being mandated by that authority figure (i.e. we’re screwed in college).

So, if these skills are so necessary, why don’t we just go ahead and develop them already? Well, we’re a generation of entitlement. We feel entitled to good jobs, we feel entitled to go to college if we make the grades, and, most of all, we feel entitled to live our lives as we choose (I’m not going to go into whether this feeling of entitlement is deserved). This includes using our time as we choose, and obviously we’re not going to choose to spend our time working when we could be on Twitter or updating our fantasy football team. We’ll spend hours avoiding homework laughing at stupid things like pictures of chubby Asian babies and cats on the internet. We’re not going to develop the study skills we need until our entitlement complex shifts focus to being entitled to do the best work we are capable of doing.

I’ll give you one good reason for this to happen: the real world requires it. The “real world” is a fantastic and mythical place for most of us. It’s a place where not everybody knows everyone else, people dress up every day, and you’re not going to do very well if you’re scraping by on your work. You can get by, sure, but with the cost of living going up, your entry level job isn’t going to pay for the car you want or that family you’re thinking of having. Walmart doesn’t pay enough to keep your Warcraft account funded and give you enough left over to someday move out of your parent’s basement. If you burn the burgers at McDonald’s, its probably going to get you fired.

Here’s what’s great about: early election predictions

2011-11-16T13:51:00.001-05:00

By: Emma Shinn

It’s a natural human thing to do: we watch the world unfold around us, and just can’t help but make predictions about what we think is going to happen next. The world of politics is no different. In fact, it may be even worse about constantly trying to predict the future. Media outlets tend to try to act as fortune tellers, staring into their crystal balls (in this case full of polls, historical trends, and the expert opinions of both highly-educated political scientists and the random people they interview on the street) and telling us just who is going to win the next election.

Unfortunately for those media outlets and the people who listen to them, those predictions are often completely wrong. The fact of the matter is this: it is completely impossible to predict the winner of any election with 100% certainty, no matter what tactics you used to gain your supposed knowledge. One of the biggest and most obvious reasons for this is simple polling errors.

All polls and surveys are conducted with a certain margin of error, which means that they are all automatically and inherently flawed. There are often instances of bias, wherein surveys are given only to certain groups or demographics (such as the viewers of a certain news channel, the voters of a certain political party, etc). Even more common are instances of what could possibly be termed “user error,” when people being polled lie to the surveyors because they don’t want to admit that they a) don’t know, b) don’t care, or c) have an unpopular opinion.

Until now, this article has been focusing on early polls and predictions as an abstract and general failure. Let’s now turn our attention to some recent specific examples of this problem in American politics. In 2007, most early polls had former First Lady and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton easily besting Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination, and possibly becoming our first female president. Fast forward a year and you’ve got the election of our first black president instead, and Hillary Clinton left in the dust.

In 1991, the aforementioned woman’s husband, Bill Clinton, was far behind in the early polls. He was losing badly to everyone’s favorite mildly-crazy Reverend Jesse Jackson, and the now virtually unremembered Mario Cuomo. Very few people had Clinton pegged to win that race, and yet today, he is looked back on by most people as an extremely effective leader.

And perhaps the most telling example of all came earlier this year, when a certain business mogul with ridiculous hair and a reality tv show announced his intention to run for President in 2012. Believe it or not, Donald Trump led the polls for awhile, which in turn caused everyone in the media to speculate and give analysis on what it might be like if the American people chose him to run our government. I don’t know about anyone else, but I find that absolutely terrifying.

So, to tie us back in to the title of my column; what’s great about early election predictions? The fact that they’re so completely useless, of course! It’s simply great that we all sit around, making predictions based on next to no facts and the results of flawed surveys. It’s great that we bet on who we think is going to win the election, and get to brag and boast when we were right, but don’t have to deal with the consequences when we’re wrong. It’s great that the media gets to do the exact same thing, but on a larger scale, with corporate funding, and in front of tons of viewers who use what those news stations are saying to help form their own opinions.

Oh, and in case you haven’t picked up on it by now, when I say “great” on this topic, I really mean “awful.”

RHS theater prepares for winter play

2011-11-16T13:48:00.003-05:00

By: Emma Shinn

December 9-10 a group of Ripley students will perform A Christmas Carol, a play based on the classic story written by Charles Dickens. As of publication, the productions are set to be open for the community, at 7 p.m., but director and theatre teacher Christina Iman is discussing the possibility of a school production as well.

A Christmas Carol is, as most everyone knows, the story of a grumpy old businessman named Ebenezer Scrooge who discovers the true meaning of Christmas with the help of a few ghosts, namely those of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and his deceased business partner Jacob Marley. Senior Will Mullins will play Scrooge, while the Christmas ghosts will be played by juniors Danielle Vealey and Matt Jacobs, and senior Jared Mullins, respectively.

“[The experience] has been great,” said sophomore Matthew Taylor, who will play Bob Cratchet. “It’s going to be a good show.”

First-time director Iman said she was most excited “just to be able to bring a classic piece of literature to the stage in a somewhat professional manner.”

The RHS theater will be producing other plays throughout the school year, including a spring musical, and a one-act sometime after the first of the year. While plans for the spring musical are being kept top secret for the moment, Iman noted that the planned one-act will be a piece that is taken to a regional competition in Parkersburg. According to Iman, this will be the first time “in a long while” that Ripley has gone to an acting competition. The winning school there will get to go onto a state acting competition.

Student Council works to improve school

2011-11-02T08:09:00.002-04:00

It’s been a year of change for Ripley High School, from rules, to staffing, and scheduling. This wave of change applies to our student government as well. If you're unsure as to what they do, check the bleachers after a home football game. Chances are you'll see members of Student Council picking up trash around the area. They also help put together the blood drives, and Spirit Week activities. This year, Student Council members are being granted even more input in matters affecting our school.

“It’s really about putting more control in the students’ hands, turning it over to the kids and letting them do what they need to do. Let it be their year,” advisor Jason Ward excitedly explained.

This is great news for everyone, as the administration and teachers will get a better idea of what the students think should be done to improve the school and the students get to work towards implementing their ideas in a more direct way. Some of the things planned include placing RHS flags along the main road into the school to help give our campus a sense of pride, a Powder Puff football competition, and of course, ideas for Spirit Week.

“It's a great way to be involved with the student body and show your school spirit. As a club we sponsor a lot of activities and try to get the student body active here at the high school,” senior class secretary Markee Shamblin said.

Student Council also branches off by class to work on events such as decorating floats for the Homecoming Parade, and has competitions for things such as hallway decorations throughout Spirit Week. If you have any ideas or concerns about RHS, see our full list of students involved in Student Council in the school handbook.

Bands gather to take Princeton by Storm

2011-11-02T08:06:00.003-04:00

On October 1st, eighteen bands from West Virginia and Virginia all headed to Princeton, West Virginia, to take part in the third Southern Thunder Marching Band Invitational, “Taking the South by Storm”, at Anne S. Hunnicut Stadium. Participants included our very own Viking Band, the Cabell Midland Knights, the Spring Valley Timber Wolves, and the Capital Cougars; all of whom were in the 4A Division competing against each other. Though it was the third Southern Thunder event it was Ripley’s first time competing. The competition was a six hour affair, beginning with the first class division beginning at approximately one p.m., and ending with the awards ceremony at seven p.m.

The day sent a chill through many in attendance not only from the nervousness associated with wanting to do well, but also due to the nippy weather. As the hours passed, cold combined with wind and drizzling rains to make the event truly miserable, and test the bands’ marching and flag skills even more. Thankfully at the time our band started to enter the field, conditions were clear for the first two numbers, and once it did begin to drizzle again, it was very light. After the Viking Band finished their “Elvis Lives” show, there was one final performance in the class division, and then the judges began to make their decision. As they did, the host band, Princeton Senior High, marched onto the field for their exhibition performance while the judges finished tallying scores. The bands were judged on their marching, music, auxiliary, general effect, majorettes, color guard, and percussion. Despite giving a performance with just a few flaws, our band left with only one reward for second place Color Guard. Though it may not be the sweeping victory we could have hoped for, the event highlighted the areas the Viking Band needs to improve on, and let them know exactly how to fix what was wrong and make for even more impressive showings in the future.

Pumpkin traditions change over time

2011-10-31T14:02:00.000-04:00

By: Lynzi Acree

If you’re a fan of Halloween and all its traditions, then there’s a chance that you’ll be making a Jack-O-Lantern soon. Who doesn’t love those childhood memories of sitting around putting faces on pumpkins?
So, when you carve that pumpkin, there are several different designs for you may want to look into:

The traditional design: Jack-o’-Lanterns were originally carved radishes and squashes to tell stories or ward off demons. This tradition started in Ireland and spread over the UK, but when people started immigrating to America, it was much easier to use the indigenous pumpkin rather than the smaller radishes.

The picture is in the pumpkin: With the larger vegetables at hand, it was easier to make more than just a basic face; and with the new tools that have developed over time fancier, more in-depth drawings became possible. Many pictures still keep the theme of Halloween, but not all of them.

People’s faces: Even more recently, pop culture has been incorporated into the Jack-o’-Lantern tradition. You can use different cutting depths to shade and emphasize features.
A man in Kenova, WV makes an amazing display of Jack-o’-Lanterns every year. Ric Griffith, the great pumpkin artist has the help of volunteers for this great project. The Pumpkins are on display for about a week around Halloween. If you ever get a chance to stop by it is strongly advised that you seize the opportunity.

Feelin' down on your luck? Superstitions explained

2011-10-31T14:01:00.000-04:00

By: Lynzi Acree

Halloween will be here before you know it, so you might want to brush up on your superstitions in case of paranoia. Superstitions are defined in most dictionaries as “an irrational belief in the existence of unseen forces which control fate.” Even though superstitions seem timeless, they do have origins. Here are those of some popular beliefs and the story of where they originated from:

The number 13: This notion pops up all over history. There are many theories as to why it’s unlucky. One such theory is that, in the Bible, Judas “the Betrayer of Jesus,” was the 13th member at the Last Supper. In Egyptian society, the number 13 was lucky because it symbolized death, for them meaning the glorious afterlife. Other cultures corrupted the number and it’s meaning with their fear of death.

Black cats: The Egyptian Goddess Bastet was believed to be a black cat. Christians in the Middle Ages wanted to wipe all traces of other religions from society, so early American settlers told young children and the uneducated that black cats were disguised demons and should be killed. They also killed women who owned the cats, thinking they were witches.

Spilled salt: Salt was thought to purify and drive away evil spirits, which were known for lurking behind your left shoulder, waiting for a chance to wreak some havoc. When you throw the spilt salt over your left shoulder, you drive the evil spirits away.

Walking under a ladder: There are two versions of this superstition. One belief is that the ladder forms a triangle which represents the “Holy Trinity.” If you walk through it, you violate the space and are believed to be in a league with the Devil. The other version is that hangmen used a ladder to hang a person from the gallows, and if you walked under the ladder, death would notice you.

Breaking a mirror: Your reflection in a mirror is symbolic of your soul. According to the pagan Romans, breaking the mirror, and therefore the reflection, damages the soul and brings spiritual suffering for seven years. Why seven years? The Romans believed that every seven years your body was rejuvenated.

Knock on wood: Pagans thought good spirits lived in wood and trees. By knocking on wood or touching it, you were “remembering” them and they would protect you from bad fortune.

For more detail and more superstitions you can visit:
http://sangi.sanguinarius.org/creative/OriginsOfPopularSuperstitions.pdf

Golf season at end: Coach steps down after ten years

2011-10-31T13:59:00.003-04:00

By: Lynzi Acree
The golf season ended on a high note September 24 having begun August 11.
Senior James Dobbs said the practices “really prepared the team for playing games.”
This season went pretty well for the team and it went as most of the players had expected. Like anything, it had its highs and lows, but all the players had improved most likely because of diligent practice.
According to coach Diane Franklin, the strongest players this season, experienced players, were senior captain Jordan Franklin, junior Jacob Haynes, junior Tyler Jones, and freshman player Wes Withrow. The other new player is freshman Justin McKown. Other teammates include freshman Taylor Casto, senior James Dobbs, junior Trenten Boggess, and sophomore Logan Reynolds.
The team competes and practices at Greenhills Country Club.
Franklin said her best year was 2002, which was the last year the whole team went to states.
This is the last of ten years that Franklin has coached.
“I started when my eldest son Tyler was a senior,” she said, “and I’ll be finishing with my youngest son as a senior.”

Volleyball team hopes to end season on good note

2011-10-31T13:59:00.001-04:00

By: Taryn Matheny
   The Ripley Viking volleyball team has had a great showing in all of their games this season. The team’s record is 13-18-1 and they have been able to play against tough opponents this year. The team has played hard throughout the season only getting better with each game.
   “We have been able to improve on our communication skills and that has helped us to do better in games during the season,” said senior Ryne Hill.
   The volleyball team looks to continue to get better over their last few games and to win the majority of them. They have worked hard since they began practicing over the summer and are looking forward to having a great finish to their season. They haven’t given up during any of their games and they are hoping that helps them as they get towards the end of the season.
   “This year is a little different from last year,” said Junior Lyndsay Anthony
   “But in only losing two players we have been able to stay the same, because a lot of underclassmen got to play so we are more experienced this year.”
   The volleyball team has performed up to many people’s expectations on the team. They believe that they have performed to their best every time that they have played and they have just had a few mistakes that have caused them to come up short in some of their games.
   “I felt like we were going to be a pretty decent team at the beginning of the season and we have played up to expectations by performing to our best in each game,” said senior Kala Ford.
   The team feels that their effort has really helped them in their last few games and they are looking to fight it out until the end. The Lady Vikings are going to continue to work hard and if you get the chance to come and support them then you should while you still can.

Team chemisty

2011-10-31T13:59:00.000-04:00

By: Anni Ashworth

With a record of 8-5-3, this year’s boys’ soccer team has come ready to play. Consisting mainly of veterans, the team has been playing the game together for many seasons which has helped them find their balance and strategize against other opponents this season.

Senior Logan Welling commented, "As a team we’ve learned how to work together which wins games. This season has been a good ending to my high school soccer career."

The Vikings will play home October 19 for regionals which will determine the continuation of their season. Good luck to all the players, and congratulations seniors on a good ending season!

Runners heading to end season

2011-10-31T13:57:00.000-04:00

By: Anni Ashworth

This year’s cross-country season has been full of determination and the will-power to push more every meet. The runners have endured it all, from scorching hot practices over the summer to running meets with mud up to their knees. Nothing has stopped them from doing what they love.

“When you run cross-country, you just automatically assume that you’re going to have to run through the rain and mud,” Senior Daron Clark said, “You just learn to enjoy it when you can; anything’s better than running in the scorching heat.”

The team is very competitive within themselves. Junior Chad Longanacre, who ranked 26^th in the state, and junior Caleb Casto, who ranked 39^th, have continually come neck-in-neck f each other in each meet.

The cross-country team consists of: seniors Levi Braley, Anni Ashworth, Karli Casto, Brittany Sellers, Daron Clark and Travis Adcock; juniors Caleb Casto, Ali Cunningham, Melissa Hughart, Ryan Gregory, Sammy Shaver, Kendra Sellers, and Chad Longanacre; sophomores Jake Casto, Molli Cunningham, Dylan Welling; and freshmen Levi Phillips, Breanna Sturns and Kyndra Hill.

Hughart commented, “I’m ready to pick our commitment up and get better every meet. I have a lot of goals I plan to achieve before the end of the season.”

The last cross-country meet will be October 29 at Cabell Midland. There’s no doubt this season will be ending the right way. Congratulations on a good year so far and good luck finishing the season!

Football going for win out

2011-10-31T13:55:00.001-04:00

By: Taryn Matheny

   The Viking football team has fought hard in all of their games this season. The record for the Vikings is 3-5. They have played well away from home this season. The Vikings won a game on the road at Nitro with a score of 39-22. They also were able to come away with a victory in a tough-fought game at Lincoln County with a score of 24-20. The Vikings also came away with a win at home against St. Albans with a score of 22-0. It has been a season of streaks for the Vikings. They started off losing two games in a row, but then they came back and won two games on the road. The Vikings won against Nitro in their last game and the Vikings are hoping to win out their games the rest of this season.
   “This is where I thought we would be when it comes to effort. We have battled in each game until the very and we’ve just had some bad breaks in a few games,” said senior Quarterback Tyler Casto.
   The team continues to work hard and have made improvements in coming together as a team. They are finding ways to motivate themselves for each game, whether by listening to music or by just getting each other fired up however they can before each game.
   “We are going to be ready for these next few games. Coach Frashier and Dr. Isner have really started to get us all fired up and I think we can have success these final games,” said senior Wide Receiver Anthony Michael.
   The seniors are especially looking to take control this last game and finish the rest of the season up strong. They are looking to keep everyone up and to have the same intensity throughout the game no matter how it is going for them. The team is looking to fight it out until the very end with their last game being against Ravenswood.
   They are going to continue to try hard and finish out their season strong. Their next game is a home game and it is the Hatchet Game. It is against Ravenswood on November 4th. If you get the chance to come and watch them, then you should take this opportunity to come and cheer on your Ripley Viking Football team.

Lady Vikings have fun with season

2011-10-31T13:52:00.002-04:00

By: Sarah Smith
“Playing soccer is fun because we get to kick things,” senior captain Emily Pierson stays positive even though the girls’ soccer season has been difficult and not exactly productive with a record of 3-10-3.
“We’ve played some really good games and we’re playing much better as a team. We just haven’t been able to finish,” says senior forward Emily Smith.
Playing well as a team was one of the Lady Viking’s main goals this season, as well as building a base for future years. Seeing as all freshmen save for an injured Caleigh Neil have received significant playing time with three freshmen, Morgan Pierson, Callan Banks and Holly Farkosh earning starting spots along their upperclassmen counterparts, that goal looks to have been reached as well.
“I really like all the girls and I just have fun playing with the team,” says Farkosh, a defender.
The Lady Vikes will graduate nine seniors, including seven starters, but they will return 12 girls and hopefully have generated enough interest to attract some new talent next year.
“I just have fun playing with the team. They’re a great group and we’re just enjoying the time we have together,” Smith sums up the year.

Students weigh in on policy changes

2011-10-31T13:51:00.001-04:00

By: Emma Shinn

The students of Tabby Craddock’s General Psychology class gave a set of survey questions to a random sampling of the Ripley High School population as part of an assignment. The survey asked for students’ opinions on some of the major rule changes that were implemented this year, and for suggestions on what they think would improve the school.
The majority (52%) of students surveyed said that they do like the 8-period day, and that they approve of the switch from block scheduling. An even bigger majority (76%) said that they like having one-hour lunches twice a week, and 81% of survey participants said that they like the rules better this year than they have in years past.
In terms of things the students would change about Ripley high if they could, there was a shocking response. A staggering 72% of students polled said that they thought having year-round school would help them remember lessons better. One student’s specific response included the supplement, “but I would probably hate it.”
Some common responses to the question “What is one thing you would change about Ripley High?” were: allowing cell phones or changing the cell phone policy, switching to open campus and allowing students to leave during lunch, using laptops instead of textbooks, putting in snack machines, returning to block scheduling, and getting school uniforms.
Students also had a lot of opinions on how to improve lunch. Many of them mentioned wanting an hour lunch every day, “better” quality bag lunches and hot lunches, and having lunches separated by grade.

Soul Punk offers new sound

2011-10-31T13:49:00.002-04:00

By: Emma Shinn

Last year, I reviewed Patrick Stump’s EP Truant Wave, and noted that it was being released as a precursor to his first solo album. (For those of you that don’t know, an EP is a musical release that is more than a single, but less than an album). I mentioned that the release date for the full-length album had been pushed back multiple times before it finally settled at October 18.
At the time, I predicted (based on my opinions of the EP) that Soul Punk would be quite a change from Stump’s former work with Fall Out Boy. I also thought that even though I would remain a fan no matter what, I probably wouldn’t be too fond of the new musical direction in which Stump was going. After listening to Soul Punk, I have found that I was right on the first count, but wrong on the latter.
While this new music is noticeably different from Fall Out Boy’s sound, as a long time fan, I actually like the change quite a bit. When the title Soul Punk was announced, many fans and critics questioned what exactly that meant. Going into this album as a listener, I still didn’t quite know what I was going to be hearing, but as soon as the first song begins, you realize just exactly what it was that Stump was trying to describe with that title. The songs are a mixture of synth-pop and electro-punk music, with soulful lyrics written straight from Stump’s heart.
My favorite song on the album is the fast-paced fourth track entitled “Spotlight (New Regrets).” With a beat that makes you alternately want to dance and clap your hands, and inspirational lyrics like, “You could be the star, you could shine so bright.” “Spotlight” is a brilliant pick-me-up song for when you’re feeling out of sorts.
The album features two versions of the song “This City”, one of which is a remix featuring rapper Lupe Fiasco. The remix was the first (and so far only) single released off the album, and was written about Stump and Fiasco’s hometown of Chicago. Both versions of “This City” make for great listening, but I definitely feel that the Lupe Fiasco version has an incredible vibe that you don’t realize is missing from the original until you hear it in the remix.
Probably the track with the most interesting background is “Allie.” The song was used as the basis for a contest run on Stump’s website during the lead-up to the album’s release. The album was available for preorder online, and everyone who used that option was automatically entered into the contest. Twenty people were chosen at random from that list and Stump re-recorded the song with their name in place of “Allie.” These people were then mailed their personalized copy of the song.
Overall, I would recommend this album to anyone who likes synth-pop or electronic music, or is just looking for something new and different to listen to. In a culture where most music genres are starting to sound the same, I can honestly say that this album is completely unique. I’d also recommend it to any Fall Out Boy fans who may be feeling dubious about Stump’s solo career. It’s definitely a change from the sound you’re used to, but the layered beats and falsetto voice will capture your attention immediately.
Soul Punk is available on CD in stores, or for digital download from iTunes or Stump’s website, patrickstump.com. It is available on vinyl from the website as well.

TV shows need originality

2011-10-31T13:48:00.002-04:00

By: Sarah Smith
Have you looked at a new TV show lately and thought, “Hey, that’s a great idea for a show! How original!”? No? I don’t blame you. It seems like screenwriters are just recycling plot premises and changing minor details. The following outline could work for just about any cop show currently on the air: [Blank] is an unconventional [cop, detective, agent, special agent] who is totally awesome and completely defies the rules of his/her profession. They have a straight-man foil partner named [blank] and a boss who doesn’t necessarily like their unconventional ways but respects their ability to get work done. There are more than 25 cop shows on the air, almost all of which follow this basic format (e.g. “Psych”, “Castle”, and “White Collar”).
Even worse are the cake shows. There are fewer cake shows than cop shows, but cake shows are more annoying and have less viable plot lines to add variety to an already original theme. Every week you can tune into “Cake Boss” or any other of at least five shows themed around cakes for 30 minutes to an hour and…wait for it…watch them make a cake. If you get lucky, they might make more than one per episode. And even if you miss a weekly premier, don’t be disheartened; the sugary, floury goodness never ends. “Cake Boss” and “Ace of Cakes” are on three to four hour blocks on their respective channels.
If glorified pastries aren’t your thing, there are other overdone show themes to bury yourself in. There are an alarming number of shows about stuff. Getting stuff, keeping stuff, and selling stuff is apparently fascinating to a wide enough audience to allow for at least six shows about pawn shops, pawning, hoarding, and finding things to pawn and keep. I don’t know who watches these shows, but whoever you are, please stop. Your terrible shows about shopping are taking up valuable time on the History Channel that could be used for actual history.
The problem with having so many shows themed around one topic seems obvious: it gets boring. You can only watch so many episodes of “American Pickers” without getting sick of seeing them make cheap deals on old stuff and talk about how awesome their van is (hint: their van really is not awesome at all). Ideally, every time you turn on your TV, every episode of a show is different in some way and every show will be different from others like it by at least two major points aside from the names of the characters. This could be accomplished by writers taking more time in finding original premise points for their shows and not just filling in a basic outline with some new names.
Fortunately, there is hope. “Once Upon a Time”, a new fantasy show set in modern time looks to be a promising, original premise. “American Horror Story” is a horror TV show, which is a premise that has only been tackled successfully a couple of times (see review on page ___). These few lights of originality will hopefully inspire other TV writers to take initiative and create original plot premise and themes. If not I fully intend on throwing my television out the top window of the tallest building I can find.

Here's what's great about: Ron Paul

2011-10-31T13:48:00.000-04:00

By: Emma Shinn

In a survey given earlier this year by the Viking Press staff, a number of students said that one thing they wanted to see in our newspaper was more national news and politics. As someone who is rabidly interested in both of those topics, I decided to write about them in my senior column.
As a warning to any readers, let me say the following: quite a bit of my interest in politics is based on how sarcastic and/or funny I can be while discussing them. Anything I say in my column should always be taken with a grain of salt. You could find me writing my true opinions, exaggerated, or you could find me being completely sarcastic from start to finish. Either way, I’m hoping to accomplish two things: information and entertainment. I want you to learn, but I also want you to laugh.
With that said, I’m not sure how many of you are aware of this, but there happens to be a presidential race going on at the moment. With 15 different candidates vying for the Republican nomination, it has been difficult for a lot of Republican and conservative Independent voters to choose a candidate they really support. Watch any Republican debate, and the first thing you’ll notice is that most of the candidates seem to have roughly the same ideas and positions, just phrased different ways. Some people call that “party unity”; I just call it boring.
So where is that candidate who’s going to spice things up? Where is that person who’s going to stand up and say, “Hey! I’m different from those other guys (and girls)! Elect me!” I’ll tell you where he is. In Congress, co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill with Democrat Barney Frank that would legalize marijuana. He’s also in Texas, the state he represents, opposing the death penalty and advocating the revision of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Most “mainstream” Republicans have completely opposing views on all of those issues, so how’s that for being different?
The question now becomes, who is this innovator of the Republican Party? Who is this person so willing to stand out and stand alone on the issues that he truly believes in? The answer, of course, is Congressman Ronald Ernest “Ron” Paul, a veteran of both the United States Air Force and National Guard, and a licensed medical doctor.
Now, I’m not saying that Paul is the best candidate for President, but I’m also not saying he’s the worst. All I’m saying is that he certainly isn’t like the others, and whether you find that an exciting change of pace or a horrible detraction, you now know that it’s true.

Sarah Says: Christie Rampone rocks my socks

2011-10-31T13:43:00.002-04:00

By: Sarah Smith
I feel like I might be overdoing the women’s soccer angle on all my stories, but the more I think about it, the less I care. Women’s soccer gets almost no attention compared to men’s professional sports, so I don’t feel guilty for focusing on these strong, amazing women for one more month.
The woman I want to focus on in particular is Christie Rampone. Christie Rampone is the baddest female athlete alive. She is the current captain of the U.S. women’s national team and her club team, magicJack, and a literal soccer mom.
For one thing, Rampone is 36 years old. In women’s soccer, 36 is as good as 70. By 36, most women are hanging up their cleats and saying, “Oh well, that was a good career. Time to go home,” but not Christie Rampone. Rampone is still one of the fastest ladies on the team, and she is constantly referred to as “the fittest woman here” by her teammates.
Not only that, but Rampone has two children. While male athletes father children all the time, women athletes are completely different. By having children, I mean Rampone carried two babies for two separate nine-month periods and then gave birth. So this means two nine-month breaks for Rampone, right? Ha ha, no. While carrying her first daughter, Rylie, Rampone stayed on a less intense training program up until the seven-month mark. After Rylie was born, Rampone was back in training in a matter of two weeks.
The story of Reece, the second Rampone daughter, is a bit more complicated. In 2008, the fledging season for Women’s Professional Soccer, Rampone was playing with a team called Sky Blue FC. They were terrible. They were last in the league and it looked like they were going to be out of the playoffs before they even started. Then, to make things even better for Sky Blue, their coach was suspended and his successor quit. It looked like the end of the season. Rampone, on top of her captain’s job and responsibilities as a player, was given the duties of looking after and coaching the team. In a logical succession of events, Sky Blue went from last to first and to win the league under the coaching of Rampone. During the celebration a bottle of champagne was popped and, as per tradition, the captain was offered the first drink. Her response?
“No, sorry guys, I can’t. I’m three months pregnant.”
That’s right. Christie Rampone coached/captained one of the most successful comebacks in soccer history while toting a baby around in her belly.
This was not Rampone’s first medical happening that had an effect on her career. In college, she tore her anterior cructiate ligament. An ACL tear can end an athlete, and even if it doesn’t, many people lose the chance to play at a higher level due to missed playing time while injured. Obviously not Christie Rampone.
The only sad part of the story of Christie Rampone is that after all these comebacks and general amazingness, she might not have a job in a couple of years. The WPS draws in so little viewership and attendance and has such small sponsors compared to what a professional team needs that, if something doesn’t change, the league will soon dissolve and hundreds of women will be left without jobs. Viewership and attendance are on the rise, so hopefully this will not be a problem. Knowing Christie Rampone, if it does, she’ll start a league in her backyard and house all the players in her basement while becoming a successful businesswoman in order to support them all.

First County-Wide Art Show Great Success

2011-10-28T14:28:00.003-04:00

By: Tabitha Hudnall

Students attended the first annual art show taking place at the Jackson County Courthouse. The show was set up October 14 at 8:30 am and artwork was judged on the fourteenth as well. The reception was on the 17th from 5:30-7:30 pm and the awards were given to the winners. The show was in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Participants from all Jackson County schools were present at the show.

The show accepted artwork from grades K-12. Each school had a limit of twenty pieces in the show. Each school has artwork chosen by the school’s art teachers. The criteria from which our own Debbi Sisson chose the work include “detail, fullness, size, and neatness of the work.” Where most art shows are separated into categories such as pencil, paint, multimedia, and more, this show combined all works of art into levels of elementary, middle, and high school.

Each school level gave awards for best of show, first, second, third, fourth, and honorable mentions. Separate recognition was given to art that represents Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

At the high school level, Zeke Freshour of Ripley won best of show, Rachel Stanley of Ripley won best of show in Domestic Violence Awareness category, Tabitha Hudnall of Ripley won first place, Billy Maynor of Ripley won second place, and Ashley Sauls of Ravenswood won third place.

Earl Ray Tomblin chosen governor in special election

2011-10-28T14:26:00.000-04:00

By: Danielle Vealey

Tuesday October 4 Earl Ray Tomblin was chosen for Governor during a special election. Governor Joe Manchin ran and was elected for the open senate seat that needed to be filled after Senator Robert C. Byrd passed away. Therefore, someone had to take his place. The term that Manchin didn’t finish began on Jan. 19, 2009 and ends Jan. 14, 2013.

The primary election was in May when one candidate out of each party was selected out of 19. Up until then they had all campaigned on their platforms of what they thought could improve the state.

Tomblin is 59 and is from Logan County. He has been married to his wife, Joanne, for 31 years and they have a son named Brent. He received his undergraduate from WVU, an M.B.A. from Marshall, and attended the University of Charleston. Tomblin is a self-employed business man and former school teacher. He was elected to the WV House of Delegates in 1974 at the age of 22 and was elected to the state senate in 1980. He is the longest serving Senate President. Then in 2000 he was named the state’s first Lieutenant Governor.

Governor Tomblin has several plans for the betterment of West Virginia. He has recently issued an executive order that will protect our environment and our citizens, all while providing stability natural gas companies need to create jobs and develop our resources.

He says he will do all that he can to complete major highway projects while still maintaining the state’s secondary roads. Tomblin pledges to make sure that no federal highway money goes unmatched throughout the state.

He also feels that we must improve the use of technology and reduce the dropout rate of students. He thinks that children need today’s technologies available in schools to learn skills that are necessary to succeed in the next generation’s economy. Tomblin firmly believes that as a state we must devote additional time and resources to keep the children at risk of dropping out in the schools.

Tomblin’s administration is currently working on improving access to health care. The state is helping 10,000 West Virginians receive access to primary care centers. This will enable our citizens to have better access to preventive care. He also thinks that that we can take advantage of telemedicine opportunities as we continue extending broadband Internet service into areas of WV that are currently undeserved. Tomblin is proud and confident to be the leader of this state and plans to do all he can to make it a better place to the citizens of WV.

The Viking Pride Board

2011-10-28T14:25:00.000-04:00

Surprise! There’s another Viking Pride Board going up. A few weeks back the Viking Competition Board was announced, but The Viking Press printed the wrong name for the “thermometer” boards. The true Viking Pride Board will be placed near the alma mater on the wall in the main lobby. Principal Will Hosaflook, with the help of seniors Stephanie Gruber and Megan Randolph (Service learning students in the office), will be the professional on this subject.
Basically, the rules are simple. If you clean up around the school and do good deeds such as pick up trash and throw it away, then you will earn a star on the board. The board is for the entire school as one, so if one person does a good deed or does something bad, we all get punished. The board is new this year and Hosaflook has been very clear that if he sees something he doesn’t approve of, he will announce it on the intercom.
If a student breaks a rule like getting in a fight or littering, there go all of our privileges. The privileges include our one-hour lunches and students, privilege before school and during get to stand outside and in the hallways and talk to our friends it will all be gone. We will all have to be in the gymnasium or the cafeteria at lunch. Everyone enjoys these privileges and wants to keep them, so clean up and keep our school clean. This board is an all-year deal, don’t beat yourself up if we start losing stars because you can earn them back by following the rules and making Ripley High look awesome.

"The Thing"

2011-10-28T14:23:00.001-04:00

Have you ever been to a movie and thought, "Okay, it's about to get better" and it doesn't? You just expect the climax to be shocking and to put you on the edge of your seat. Well, watch the movie “The Thing”, there is nothing exciting or thrilling about it at all.
October 14 the movie "The Thing" was released. It had an overall grade of a C from the People's Critics: Film Review. After watching the movie and reading comments, there are people who enjoyed it and people who think they wasted money to make it and to go and watch it. Personally, I think it is a waste of money and cheaply put together. I was very disappointed after watching this movie as were the people I was with. Movies should keep you guessing and this movie what was about to happen was too obvious.
For those of you who haven't watched it or heard of it, I'll sum up. In the beginning of the movie an alien spacecraft and specimen were found under ice. Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a paleontologist and a group of researchers (Joel Edgerton as Sam, Ulrich Thomsen as Dr. Sander Halvorson, and Eric Christian Olswen as Adam Goodman), are called to study the specimen found. After the specimen is brought up from the cold, it becomes alive and starts attacking and getting inside people to makes everyone second guess everyone and everything. After watching this movie, I discovered it is a prequel to the classic 1982 movie “The Thing” by John Carpenter.
After researching the older movie and watching clips of it, there are a lot of good elements in both movies. In the 1982 version, the horror is more intense and there’s an uneasy feeling as you’re watching it, which is the feeling you want when you watch a horror film. The 2011 version is more digitally designed with the new technology we have today, but the focus was so much on that, that the horror fell flat. So either movie you watch there are things you are going to like and dislike.

Flying Eagles defeat our hometown Vikings

2011-09-28T11:44:00.001-04:00

By: David Hicks
Last Friday the Ripley Vikings played against the Woodrow Wilson Flying Eagles at Death Valley. The excited Vikings, from the homecoming celebrations and a chance to get a winning record, was cut short as the speed of the Flying Eagles seemed to be enough to over come the Vikings. Our Viking boys fought back with all their might, but they couldn’t beat the Eagles. The final score of the game came out to 53-17 with Eagles coming away with the win. This upcoming Friday, the Vikings head over to Roane County High school to play the Raiders. Please come and help cheer for our hometown Vikings as they play to even out their record.

The Viking Pride Board, Take 2

2011-09-26T13:34:00.001-04:00

By: Elaika Beaver

The Viking Pride Board
A lot of people are wondering what is the Viking Pride Board? Well, in brief terms it is where all freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors compete against one another to see what class can rise to the top before another.

Ok, let’s say for instance Spirit week here at Ripley if your class has the most spirit each day then you go hirer on the board. Spirit Week is a week to be carefree and have fun and be silly. Why not participate? There is also many other ways to get higher on the board. If the faculty sees’s someone doing a good deed or helping out the school by picking up trash or helping out someone then that looks good on you and your class and your class will raise higher on the board. Plus, it makes the school itself look way more appealing to visitors and us the students. No one would have to pick up anything at all if people would just throw there garbage away, it’s not hard we all know what a trash can is.

There is also a downside you can also go down on the board and lose. A quick example is what if your class does awesome at participating in spirit week and does good deeds through that week but some at breakfast or lunch just thinks there above walking to a trash can to throw it away. That would mean they are not a team player which is definitely not fair in my opinion.

Now I know every person in this school is capable of making their class go above and beyond what is expected so why not do it? The first class that gets to the top gets a prize. I am going to guess the prize is a bonus break or getting into an athletic event for free are the usual rewards. Who knows what it could be this year so do good and make sure you’ll find out and get what ever the prize may be.

New Rules

2011-09-26T13:30:00.001-04:00

Elaika Beaver
New Rules

In life there is always change. In Ripley High the rules change a lot. Some good some bad but whether we want them or not, every year they are added and deducted.
A big change this year is parking. Parking has always been an issue at Ripley because we have so many people who drive. Luckily, this year Officer Penson has come up with the parking pass. The parking passes give you permission to park in the senior lot before the people who does not have them. Seniors are given the first chance at a pass and spot to park. The spots are not assigned it is just first come first serve. To get one all you have to do is fill out a form about your car and I believe there are still passes available. So many people I have talked to like the passes and believe it is a fair way to go. Hopefully everyone agrees and there is less complaining.
Speaking of complaining, another change this year I bet everyone approves of is the common lunch. I personally love that on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have one lunch for an hour. Last year we had two lunches and it spilt a lot of friends up. With so many classes lunch is sometimes the only time we can see and talk to our friends. Some freshman have, said two lunches is sometimes confusing as do other people in various grades. It’s still early in the year everyone will become accustomed to the different schedules on different days.
We are only in high school for four years, Yes it seems like a long period of time, but ask people who have graduated; it flies by. I’m a senior this year and I look back and wonder where the time went. So why get upset if the rules or changes in the school aren’t to your liking? Once you’re out and graduated, it won’t even matter.

Controversial television: Gay characters, latest of society issues in media

2011-09-20T09:25:00.001-04:00

“Grey’s Anatomy”. “Teen Wolf”. “Torchwood”. “The Secret Life of an American Teenager”. “Bones”. “Degrassi: The Next Generation”. “Pretty Little Liars”. “Glee”. “Law and Order”. What do all of these shows have in common? Yes, they are fairly well-known, popular shows among many different types of audiences, but there is something else—all of these shows feature at least one openly gay or lesbian character. And that is just to name a few of what seems like a never-ending stream of today’ major television shows embracing the gay community. This recent flood of gay characters has left much of our conservative population wondering: What happened to the way television used to be?
Believe it or not, homosexuality is not really new to T.V. the concept of implied homosexuality has been around for—a very long time. For example: “Bachelor Father” (aired in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s) features a male character (the uncle) that takes in his orphaned niece, Kelly and raises her through her teen years. The uncle never marries and solicits help with the more challenging aspects of raising a teenage girl (i.e. dating) from his man servant, Peter. Maybe this is just a happy coincidence. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. However, I would like you to keep in mind some of the other, less suggestive shows of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s that featured unusual family values or dynamics, depicting single parent households and non-stereotypical racial roles, such as: “My Three Sons”, “To Rome With Love”, “Julia”—All of which helped to redefine the social structure of America and pave the way for a new generation of television shows, like “M*A*S*H”, the first show on public television to depict a cross-dressing character.
So, all this talk about the historical progression of controversial characters brings us to the question: Why put these characters on T.V. in the first place? Well, a simple, surface answer would be: “to broaden the fan base”. With more and more people embracing and supporting the struggles of societal underdogs (single fathers and mothers playing roles not typically assigned to their gender) it only seems natural for major networks to reach out and cater to the desires of these new audiences. It is the same way now. With Gay Rights at the forefront of both political agendas and media coverage, adding these gay characters is just the networks’ way of shifting along with the sway of social acceptability.
But, if your are looking for more than just a surface answer, you could ask yourself this: What if it’s not the networks catering to the shift in what we think is socially acceptable, but instead, the people who are catering to the idea of a larger truth hidden within these popular shows? Slowly, as more T.V. families have been portrayed as having nontraditional family dynamics, society as a whole has learned to accept that single mothers can be strong and independent, and that single fathers can be caring and compassionate. Similarly, television shows now are depicting gay and lesbian characters as “just another character” (because typically their homosexuality is not the central premise of the show). This realization has made an quite an impact on how many people define what it means to be gay by breaking down many of the stereotypes associated with homosexuality. For instance, if we think about individual characters, it’s easy to see that each one has different interests, hobbies, and personalities, just like every other person in the world. Some like sports, some like dance or choir, some are shy, some are outgoing, some like fashion, others are lucky if they match every morning, some are feminine, some are masculine and some are gay. As more people come to terms with these differences, society changes and so does television, conforming to the reality that gays and lesbians are just people.

Viking girls ready to spike

2011-09-19T14:08:00.001-04:00

By: Taryn Matheny

   The volleyball team has been training since the first chance they got to work together. They began working
together in June, practicing and attending different camps to improve their play for the upcoming season.
   The team’s first game was September 6th against Parkersburg Catholic at home. The junior varsity team had a good showing in their play against Parkersburg Catholic and was able to come out with the victory. The Varsity team showed good signs during their play, but were unable to come away with the win. The team played hard and competed well against Parkersburg Catholic. The team has a chance to be a very good team this season if they can just correct a few tiny mistakes they made in their last game. They have a lot of time to work on making these corrections with this being only their first game of the season.
   “We played good, but we need to work on our communication skills,” said Senior Ryne Hill.
   They now know what they will need to do to improve from this to win their next game. The volleyball team’s next game is away at Charleston Catholic where they hope they will improve and be able to come away with the win. If you get the opportunity to come and watch the volleyball team you should definitely take some time and go support them and cheer them on to victory.

Golf starts off swinging

2011-09-19T14:05:00.003-04:00

   By: Taryn Matheny

   The golf team has got off to a good start and has been competing well every time they play. They have solid players that are willing to put the extra work in to improve their play for each match. It isn’t a sport of contact or a sport that involves getting ran to death each day, but it still takes a lot of skill to be able to play and be successful in this sport. You always have to account for variables, such as the wind blowing or the grass being wet.
   “We have a solid team that always puts together a pretty good performance,” said Sophomore Taylor Casto.
    The team is always looking to improve. They work each day on driving the ball as well as chipping and putting. They try to prepare themselves for a tough shot that could occur during play.
   “Everybody does their part and always attempts to play at their best,” said Senior Jordan Franklin.
   Each day they will try to get better and improve over the course of the season. The team is happy with what they have done so far and are looking to only get better.

Girls’ soccer: Working hard, playing well

2011-09-19T14:02:00.005-04:00

By: Lynzi Acree

The girls’ soccer team is looking forward to a stronger season this year. With a new coach, Missy Ross, and new players, they expect to be more formidable than last year. Six promising freshmen join the team this year. Many players are new to soccer with only eight returning players out of 21.

"It’s really great," says senior Alyssa Brozak, "because when it comes game time, everyone works to together and gives it their all."

The practices are more intense and productive than before, with focus on drills and a lot of running.

Junior Amanda McGreevy says "I love playing soccer because it gives me something to do outside school. The team is great and they help you with anything."

At press time, the team had won one game, tied one, and lost four games. Their next game will be at Hurricane on September 22. Go out and support the team!

Adele ‘21’ provides audience new talents

2011-09-19T14:01:00.001-04:00

By: Anni Ashworth

Adele Adkins’ previously released album, “19”, was the perfect representation of her unique voice and showed everyone an incredible new talent. So, with her new release, “21”, her fans were ecstatic for more of her. With her jazz tone still intact, she has toughened her lyrics and totally strengthened her music. The new release is the perfect representation of what Adele has always has shown through her music.
The album is based on her struggle through heartbrokenness and her will to get over it and move on. “Rolling in the Deep,” the album’s first single, provides listeners with the feelings of emotions her words are giving. With her voice tossing and turning, the track is filled with tons of edge.

Another amazing track on the CD is “Turning Tables,” which was featured in the hit TV show Glee following the albums release. In the episode, Gwyneth Paltrow covers the song, along with other tracks from Adele’s previous album, “Ain’t No Way,” “All by Myself,” and “I follow rivers.”

Adele shows much maturity on this album. She's definitely a breath of fresh air, and a well-deserved successful one at that. Overall, “21” shows that she is becoming stronger and that she is not afraid to show us all what she’s got. Hopefully by the time her next album comes around listeners will be just as pleased about it as they are with this epic music.

RHS hosts successful college day

2011-09-19T13:57:00.003-04:00

By: Lynzi Acree

College and Career Day was held September 13 in the Chancy Walker Facilities Building. Seniors were allowed to participate before juniors between 1 and 3 pm.

The day was an excellent opportunity for juniors and seniors to meet with college representatives. All West Virginia public and private colleges and universities attended. Every branch of the military as well as several out of state colleges were also present.

One example is, Marietta College has a great leadership program. This college does not look at just your ACT or require applicants to have above a certain score, but the average score is 24. Their next open house will be October 1, and their representive advised that campus visits are extremely important. The school has a rolling admission, which means they don’t have one specific deadline for applications. The total cost for this school is around $39,000.

Another example: Glenville State College is known for education and have been nationally accredited. They have a minimum ACT score of 18. Their next open house is in April. They continue to accept applications until the week before classes begin. The total cost for this school is around $13,400.

Counselor Bea Isner said that she hoped students would gain helpful insight for college majors, admissions, scholarships, and other post secondary options.

College and Career Day was organized by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission for high schools all over the state.

Isner summerized, "The main thing [about this event] is that people take advantage of this opportunity.”

Remaining of September sports schedule

2011-09-19T11:44:00.003-04:00

Boys’ soccer
17- @ Cabell Midland
20- Vs. Lincoln co.
22- Vs. Parkersburg
27- Vs. George Washington
29- @ Hurricane
Girls’ soccer
17- Vs. Cabell Midland
22- @ Hurricane
24- @ Spring Valley
29- Vs. George Washington
Football
16- @ Lincoln co.
23- Vs. Woodrow Wilson
30- @ Roane co.
Volleyball
17- @ St. Albans
20- Tri match
27- @ Lincoln Co. Tri
29- Tri match

Random sports: Camel wrestling

2011-09-19T11:42:00.002-04:00

By: David Hicks
If bizarre sports had an award this one would win by a gigantic margin. Brother to the Rooster Fights, this sport is less violent and was actually started by Mother Nature. The name is camel fighting, which originated in Turkey. The object of this game is to train your camel to be the best wrestler and have it pin its opponent.
Camel wrestling tournaments start with a great ceremony that relates much to a 4th of July festival in the U.S. The camels are led down the streets with banners laying on them or flown in the air. Music is played as they march down the street. The night before camel coaches and wrestling lovers get together and have communion to meet one each other and show respect.
On the day of the tournament, the arena is filled with hundreds of spectators. The two camels are announced and the wrestling begins. The camels are tied together before a female camel is brought out to increase the aggression of the two athletic animals. The matches only last about 15 minuets long and is very intense, a lot of time the animals flee into the crowd. When one of them cries, gets pinned or sat on, flees the arena, or the trainer throws in the rope (which is the equivalent of throwing in the towel in boxing) the match is over.
The winner is presented a rug and is escorted out of the arena with cheers, while the other is left humiliated. The rug is magnificent giving the camel points with the beauty contest that usually happens later that day. This sport is one that Turkey’s culture believes is filled with discipline and has a lot of tradition. As the day ends, wrestling fans and winning trainers cheer and have fun as they remember and enjoy this great day of camel wrestling.

Boys' soccer playing for wins

2011-09-19T11:39:00.001-04:00

By: David Hicks
This year’s soccer season is looking hopeful for the Viking men as they begin playing teams across the state. The team has 15 seniors, most of who have played during previous seasons. Watching these experienced athletes play gives the other 17 underclassmen some great examples to learn from. Having this much experience and hard work at practice gives these boys confidence on having a winning season.
One of these seniors and captain of is Jamin Jones, the starting left forward on the team. He believes that the hard work that his team has done in the off-season will pay off.
“We all have worked hard and have lifted in the off-season, on top of constantly staying busy during practice and keeping the intensity. I feel that if we keep this up we can make it far in to the post season,” Jones said.
The schedule this year is tough for the Vikings; they will play some of the strongest teams in the state, like Parkersburg, who have been favored to win a lot of games.
“We play some pretty good teams, Parkersburg and Winfield being two of them.” Jones said. “We can beat these teams though. If we work hard and get past these first couple of games with wins and keep the momentum going, we should beat these teams with ease.”
The boys have already done just that. They have beat Winfield 3-0, and Greenbriar East 4-2, which has been enough to get the ball rolling. This team’s great potential is starting to be shown on the field and the Ripley soccer fans are excited for this season.
Be looking forward for Ripley soccer to be put on the map as a well-respected program this year. These athletes have been working hard and are ready to give the high school some wins. Come out and support our Ripley boys’ soccer team as they battle George Washington High September 27 at Death Valley.

Meet Kayla

2011-08-26T09:12:00.002-04:00

I'm Kayla, obviously. I have one sister, Katrina. I'd like to think that she and I are pretty close. We spend a lot of time together. Usually I have tons of homework in addition to band and Hogwarts Club stuff (when I can attend that) so I don't have much free time, but on the rare occasion that I do I'm reading in my big comfy chair, giggling with my sister, or playing with my many animals. After graduation I hope to be able to attend Marietta College where I'll major in Education Leadership and minor in either English or French-I haven't quite decided yet. I'm actually new to the newspaper this year and I must admit it's a little intimidating seeing as how I'm a senior and I've never had a journalsim class, but I've found over the past few years that getting involved with new things and challenging myself has made for a great highschool experience.

This is a practice entry!

2011-08-23T09:01:00.000-04:00

Can we add pictures to individual posts? Let's find out.

Why, yes, we can! But if you don't want to see all the HTML gobbledygook, make sure you click the "Compose" button on the top right corner.

Meet Christopher

2011-08-23T08:08:00.004-04:00

A lot of these entries are starting with "Hey guys", but I'd like to address the other obvious audience here; aliens. Hey aliens. Oh, and you gals out there too. Yeah. Anyways, my name is Christopher Kimble. I'm a writer for The Viking Press, and I'm a huge gamer who is very picky about movies and food. I really love spaghetti, but everyone I know seems to hate it. You now hold important knowledge. You can often find me reading random articles on the internet or geeking out over the next Sonic game. (Speaking of which, we have an adopted Hedgehog on the site named Hank. Definitely should have been named Sonic.) I'm also a huge Pixar fan, that's another important thing to know. As for my extracurricular activities, I was roped into band this year, I participate in this newspaper, and I plan on being active in Drama Club. Did I mention I enjoy acting? Well, technically I just did, so that's yet another base covered. I've been all over the place with this entry, but there's a surprising amount of info to go over with a person such as boring as me. If you'd like to talk, go to SEGA of America in California; you'll probably find me worshiping the sidewalk in front of the building.

Sample Editorial Story

2011-08-22T14:28:00.002-04:00

This is a sample editorial story. This sample editorial story is only here so that we can have an editorial section link at the top of the page. Thank you and have a nice day.

Sample Feature Story

2011-08-22T14:27:00.001-04:00

This is a sample feature story. This sample feature story is only here so that we can have a feature section link at the top of the page. Thank you and have a nice day.

Meet Taryn

2011-08-22T14:23:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys, this is Taryn. I play football and am in the weightroom whenever I am not in football. I like to write stories, listen to music, and hang out with my friends in my free time. This will be my first year on staff for the Ripley Viking Press. I am looking forward to this year being on staff.

Meet Anni

2011-08-22T14:14:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! My name's Anni Ashworth and I am the proud editor of the News section of our paper. This will be my third and final year on the Ripley Viking Press, so I plan on making it as fun as possible. That's all I can think of saying at the moment but make sure to read all my stories!

Meet David

2011-08-19T12:14:00.002-04:00

Hey guys, I'm David. I am the sports editor for the Viking Press. I love sports and they have always been a big part of my life. I play football, wrestle, and run track. I like to meet new people and I love trying to beat Ms. Okes at her own game.

Meet Emma

2011-06-02T14:30:00.002-04:00

Hi, I'm Emma. Head Editor of the Viking Press with Sarah, my "shiny" co-editor. I am a writer, a nerd girl, and one of the most random people you will ever meet. I won't claim to have any strange pets or ridiculous space adventures like some people (SARAH), but man, I wish I did. I would have so much more to write about. As it is, you'll find me writing about what's important to the students who read the Viking Press, while maybe not-so-subtly injecting my own craziness at will, and when I can get it past Ms. Okes.

Meet Sarah

2011-06-02T09:25:00.002-04:00

Hey there! I'm Sarah, shiny new cooeditor of the Viking Press. I'm a very typical, average person, and quite boring if I haven't had breakfast yet. After that I'm very much like a tiger flashmob in space in the midst of a psychadellic explosion of various fruity cereals and about seven of that Dos Equis guy all while Jane Fonda and Neil Patrick Harris do a tango in your brain turning your eyes a violent magenta and Snape kills Dumbledore. I play soccer and trombone and I've been known to cross the continental United States astride my trusty panther steed Consuelos.

Meet Lynzi

2011-06-01T15:36:00.010-04:00

My name is Lynzi, but I prefer to be called 'Luna.' I'm a senior at RHS, and the Feature Editor of the Viking Press. I dance at Pam Bailey's studio, and I read a lot. I enjoy writing about ridiculous things, when I'm not writing for the newspaper. I'm terrible at naming things, like pets, characters, stories, and headlines.

Welcome to our new wepage

2011-06-01T15:11:00.000-04:00

The Viking Press is constantly looking for new ways to increase readership and make our paper more user-friendly. Keeping in mind the constant use of technology for our primary audience - teenagers - we are updating our webpage to allow for more frequent posts and interactive tools such as slideshows and more.

If you have suggestions or questions, as always you can contact us at thevikingpress@yahoo.com.

2010-09-07T09:30:00.001-04:00

Is this in feature?

Sports

2010-09-07T09:24:00.000-04:00

Let's see if we can make a tab!

Ripley Hi-Y

2010-03-12T16:10:00.000-05:00

Hello! Is this working?

Sample Sports Story

2010-03-12T15:35:00.002-05:00

This is a sample sports story. This sample sports story is only here so that we can have a sports section link at the top of our page. Thank you and have a nice day.

Sample News Story

2010-03-12T15:34:00.003-05:00

This is a sample news story. This sample news story is only here so that we can have a news section link at the top of the page. Thank you and have a nice day.