November 2008 Blue & Gold Malden High

Girls and Boys Soccer on pgs 14-15

William Clark and rest of the band on pg 5

Mock election results on pg 8

The Blue and Gold http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

Malden High School Volume 94 Edition 2

Our 94th Year November 2008

Barack Obama Becomes 44th President Malden High Undergoes Renovations Ayoub Kourikchi Head Copy Editor Ashley Ngo Head Copy Editor David Riemer Head Copy Editor

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A smiling Barack Obama gives speech at Nashua South High school in Nashua, N.H. Jan. 8, 2008. Ayoub Kourikchi Head Copy Editor

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FTER 14 GRUELING months of campaigning, attack ads, and debates, Barrack Hussein Obama won the presidential election with a landslide victory against republican

senator John McCain after obtaining states such as Indiana, Virginia, and Florida, voted Democrat. As the 44th president of the United States of America, Obama, has earned his place in the Oval office after attaining a heavily lopsided victory in the Electoral College with 349 delegates to McCain’s

Photo by E. Chiavelli

147, however, the popular vote was very much alike-52.3% to 46.4% in Obama’s favor. As the first African American president, Obama’s historic campaign has broken numerous records. According to Michael McDonald of George Mason University the Continued on pg 11

malden high football near top of gbl Haley DeFilippis Reporter

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ITH A 4-4 RECORD so far, the season has been a success, despite room for improvement. The team has statistically beaten their opponents by a number of yards. Teams like Everett, Cambridge, and Bedford with high profiles are difficult opponents that the Tornadoes face. “All are challenging, some just more than others,” said head coach John Lopresti. Lopresti has been head football coach for three years now, and a coach for seventeen consecutive years prior to his current position. “We’re very competitive,” Lopresti explained. Practices consist of stretches, warm-ups, and conditioning. The team then breaks up to indiContinued on pg 16

ECENTLY, MAYOR Richard Howard in conjunction with the City Council, proposed an additional $22 million to the $55 million plan in renovating Malden High School. The plan aims to improve the overall conditions of MHS over the short course of two and half years. The City Council introduced their initial idea in 2000 to Flansburg Architect Inc. and began construction during the 2007-2008 school year when they replaced windows and renovated the main staircase outside the Jenkins building. With a fairly large design team, MHS renovations’ architect Bill Beatrice thinks the construction is making good progress; with the finalizing of drawings and keeping the team in communications, the project is underway. MHS renovations’ structural engineer Mehul Dhruv also adds that “50% of the plans are completed and will be finished by next year.” Extensive remodeling will Continued on pg 6

LOCAL NEWS Page 5 WORLD NEWS Page 9 ENTERTAINMENT Page 12 SPORTS Page 14 Parker’sWorld

Football team huddles up before game against Melrose.

Photo by E. Chiavelli

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The Blue and Gold November 2008

Editorials http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

Malden High School

The Blue and Gold 77 Salem St. Malden, MA 02148

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Nicole Dhruv Malisa Saksua MANAGING EDITOR Cynthia Rodriguez HEAD NEWS WRITER David Riemer HEAD ENTERTAINMENT/ OPINION Ashley Ngo HEAD SPORTS WRITER Paul Collins ASSISTANT SPORTS WRITER Alfonse Femino HEAD COPY EDITORS Tzivia Halperin Ayoub Kourikchi COPY EDITORS An Holmqvist Brittany Foley Nidale Zouhir HEAD OF PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Chiavelli PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM Joao Nascimento Lynn Tran HEAD OF BUSINESS Kimberly Lombard BUSINESS TEAM Brandon Knight Cera Nolan ONLINE EDITORS Kimberly Lombard Brandon Knight REPORTERS Haley DeFilippis Michael DiGregorio Jacquelyn Dillon Alexander Gennigiorgis Dan Holmqvist Shannon Howe Barbara Jerome-Athis Omar Khoshafa Erica Marangos Alexandra Mathieu Patti McClenthen Brittany McFeeley Paul McWhinnie Joan Morabito Linda Nguyen Paula Suarez-Salmanca ADVISOR Ryan Gallagher Established in 1915 Check out our online edition: http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

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ODAY IS THE DAY, November 4, 2008. Today, polls close for Election Day and results will soon be available for this so-called “historic presidential contest” between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Today on this historical day, one friend asked me, “Should I vote? I don’t think I will. It’s not like my vote will even matter.” To me, a 17-year-old girl who missed the voting age requirement by a few months would kill to be in the position to vote. Along with being on jury, I find voting, may it be choosing people to run courts, schools, towns, states, nations, or countries, to be a vital power for all people to exercise at some point in their lives. It is our civic duty, a privilege given to us. Take it away, and we would be in a dictatorship. I, however, question subsequent to hearing comments such as the one made by my friend, why is it that at least a third of all Americans feel contrary to my opinion on voting? That night when I got home I headed to the computer to check on election updates, and I found myself beginning to think more about the third of America who are non-voters; I found myself typing in the Google search bar, “non-voters in America” and came across some interesting facts. I read up on Penn State political scientist Eric Plutzer, who says there are “different types” of voters: “habitual voters” who vote for elections which are not expected to be close, such as presidential elections, midterm elections, and school board elections. Then, there are the “periodic voters,” who generally vote in presidential elections but fail to vote for any other elections. The rest are not even registered to vote. That’s a whopping 35% of all eligible people in America. I find periodic voters just as ridiculous as nonvoters. As I continued reading this research, I grew more and more frustrated, I began asking more questions; one in particular that stuck out—who are these people who don’t take their voting privileges seriously? I found out, within this 35% of non-voters, the age group that ranges in this percentage is 18 to 30. Obtaining that knowledge, I found myself asking even more questions—why is this? How do voters or non-voters turn into habitual voters, periodic voters, or stay non-voters? I wanted all the knowledge I could get, enabling me to strengthen my opinion on this matter. As I asked myself these questions, I began formulating my own personal opinions and possible answers. And as I kept reading on Plutzer’s research, I found that I share many similar views, one strongly centered on the assumption that most young Ameri-

Editorial Policy

The Blue and Gold is an open forum for student expression. It is produced by students for the school and the community. The views presented in this paper are not necessarily those of the advisor or the school administration. The views presented in the editorials are those of the editors-in-chief or guests. The goal of The Blue and Gold is to inform and entertain students as well as the community regarding issues that we feel are important. We strongly encourage readers to respond to material printed in the form of signed letters to the editors. No libelous, malicious, defamatory, obscene, or unsigned material will be printed. The Blue and Gold reserves the right to edit the letters. Names may be withheld upon request. Not all letters will be printed. Although The Blue and Gold appreciates the support of advertisers, we may refuse any advertisement that violates the above policy or that promotes products questionable to student use. Any correspondence concerning this publication should be directed to Mr. Ryan Gallagher’s room in C333 or to his mailbox in the main office.

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cas fall in this 35% of non-voters, it is evident that most of them are occupied with life engaging situations—school, work, travel, experiencing new experiences, etc. so maybe registering to vote isn’t exactly their number one priority. Then, for others it might be because of ignorance; they have not yet been educated on knowledge relating to elections or voting and their lack of knowledge on elections and voting imply lack knowledge on the issues involved in these things. For many new “ignorant” voters, this is a common feeling, so most pass up the opportunity of voting. On the contrary, for those who are involved in education or activities centered in a learning environment are constantly in an environment filled with political information, thus they gain a clear understanding of such issues, enabling them to develop their own personal political thoughts—these can be called the more habitual voters. It could also depend on family—it is evident, that if parents happened to be habitual voters, the chances for their child to vote are much higher at a younger age as opposed to a child of a non-habitual voter. When I took a second to gather my thoughts and reflect, I obtained a better sense of “voter types,” but I never really answered my initial question about people who are apathetic towards voting. Now, with my newly obtained knowledge, I can answer this question; I start to answer by beginning with another question, if I were a nonvoter, what would be my reason for not voting? Honestly, once I put the question into that perspective, I saw its answer clearly; I never really got involved with voting and elections—or anything political until I learned about it in a more “hands on” way rather than the usual, reading the facts and retaining the information way. I attended a workshop in which we participated in group activities which, indirectly, represented elections and voting. It was very visual and a very different learning experience. Also, for me, participating in similar activities such as mock elections and other school organization and club elections, give a realistic feel of what voting would be like—it’s preparation, so, when it comes time for actual voting, ignorance will be the last thing to worry about. It all depends on the how a person obtains knowledge on voting—they have to find the right learning fit for them. Now obvious, non-voters are following a learning fit wrong for them.

Nicole Dhruv

Co-Editor-in-Chief

The Blue and Gold November 2008

state income tax rejected Emily Chiavelli Head of Photography

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ASSachusetts residents made the responsible decision on Tuesday when they darkened the little oval next to the word “no” on the back of their ballots under initiative question 1 and slipped their votes into the ballot box. The first Massachusetts ballot initiative was a plan to eliminate the state income tax, which currently takes away 5.3 percent of residents’ yearly income. The idea was that in January 2009, the income tax would be reduced by halfto 2.65 percent of yearly income- and be eliminated completely in January 2010. A similar question was placed on the Massachusetts ballot in 2002, and gained 45% of the popular vote at the time. A group called the Committee for Small Government, lead by Carla Howell, raised well over the required 11,099 signatures necessary to place a question on the ballot in Massachusetts. And while eliminating the state income tax would put, on average, 3,700 dollars a year back into the pockets of workers, it would have devastating affects on the state’s budget; approximately 40 percent of Massachusetts’ fiscal budget comes from this revenue. For example, next year’s budget, which is currently prospected to be about 28 billion dollars, would be cut by 12 billion dollars. What would be one of the hardesthit areas if this initiative had passed? Public schools. The state sends about four billion dollars a year to cities and towns for their public schooling systems; taking away 12 billion dollars of that budget would mean massive layoffs of teachers and staff. In Malden, 16 percent of the school budget comes from the revenue generated by the state income tax, but there are some cities that are even worse off-Somerville, for example, gets 89 percent of its school budget from the state income tax. The state would have to find even more ways to cut back on spending, which means, more than anything, a lot of people would lose their jobs. Twenty-nine percent of Malden’s city budget would be lost, meaning layoffs in government jobs. However, even if the state laid off every single government employee-which is, of course, unrealistic- it would only save 5 billion dollars a year. Every service run by the state government would be cut back beyond belief. Although tax payers were probably tempted by the prospect of more money on hand, especially in this rough economy, but luckily 70 percent of Massachusetts residents realized that the negatives would outweigh the positives if they had chosen to eliminate the state income tax.

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Opinion http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

letter to the editors My name is Kamisha Heriveaux and I am a student in the PACE and Access program. Being a teenager in a wheelchair can have some challenges. I have a positive attitude. In my life I want to explore, create, educate, write and help others. I know I can reach any goal and any dream. I know I can even when I am faced with overwhelming challenges. I think almost everyone that I've met, if they really get to know me, they stick to me like magnets! Making friends is really easy for me. I really think my attitude helps me with that. I think I have Photo by D. Frim a really good attitude towards my Heriveaux poses for the camera. disability. I feel lucky that I have cure. Occasionally you can have surgeries, really great teachers. They all inspire me and but there's no permanent cure or anything. teach me new things. After dealing with it for so long, you can get In my life, I just try to do the best I can. frustrated, like with any other thing in life. I My mom helps me with that. I have a brother have to really push myself a lot harder than named Gerry and I have two sisters. One of any able-bodied people. Stop in the PACE them is my twin her name is Tanisha and my Program and meet me and my friends. Maybe other sister’s name is Sabine. My mom is a I will inspire you to have a positive attitude single mother and is the best. like me. Life will bring along challenges but Let's face it, for cerebral palsy there's no nothing we can’t overcome. Send your letter to the editors to [email protected]

Designed and compiled by L. Tran

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The Blue and Gold November 2008

Opinion http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

MHS Mock Election results compare to state results

marijuana decriminalized Tzivia Halperin Head Copy Editor

Opinion on the results of ballot initiative # 2

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Question 1: Should the state income tax be repealed? Question 2: Should marijuana be decriminalized? Question 3: Should Greyhound racing be terminated?

O THE GREAT CHAGRIN of such public officials including Governor Deval Patrick and Attorney General Martha Coakley, marijuana was decriminalized in Massachusetts following the elections on Nov. 4, 2008. This vote very much reflects the beliefs of Malden High school students who overwhelmingly voted yes to decriminalization- 628 to 331 no at their own mock election. As Whitney Taylor, chairwoman of the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy, so succinctly put it, “The people were ahead of the politicians on this issue; they recognize and want a more sensible approach to our marijuana policy.” The decision affecting marijuana seems overwhelming logical given the fair amount of evidence attesting to decriminalization’s positives. According to a 2007 study by Harvard economist, Jeffrey Miron, Massachusetts police departments spend upwards of $29.5 million yearly for arrests and prosecution for the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Those are startling statistics

of monetary waste, especially striking in a deteriorating economy. Fortunately, this significant amount of money can now be used in a more relevant context- for the more violent crimes that should actually necessitate arrests and prosecution. Following the vote, those caught with an ounce or less of marijuana will face only a $100 civil fine. It is also vital to note that no conclusive evidence has been offered that suggests that greater usage or a spike in harder drugs results from decriminalization. Until such occurs, reducing the severity of punishments on marijuana can only aid Massachusetts. The decision therefore appears overwhelmingly reasonable because at the core of the issue “there is little evidence that decriminalization of marijuana use necessarily leads to substantial increase in marijuana use,” according to the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine.

parker’s world

Parker Stallworth

greyhound racing eliminated Tzivia Halperin Head Copy Editor

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HE DECISION of the Nov. 4, 2008 election eliminating greyhound racing in Massachusetts effectively protected the humanitarian interests of the dogs at the expense of local parks: Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere and Raynham Park in Raynham. While always an issue of great debate within Massachusetts, civilians’ compassion overwhelmed their economic rationality, voting 57% over 43% to eliminate the dog

racing. The results of Malden High School’s own mock election agreed with the statewide consensus as the majority of students opted to eliminate dog racing 550 students to 394 and the results appear conclusive. Dog racing has found a unique niche within Massachusetts society, fueling the economy by offering and providing a number of jobs- the development of an entire industry, even. Whether or not the greyhound racing augments our economy is immaterial however, as this industry has proved to be dissolute at best. The dogs suffer from

innumerable injuries such as broken legs, paralysis, cardiac arrest, and diseases, many or all of which remain untreated. The dogs have also tested positive for cocaine use and steroids. In a worst case scenario, these dogs may be “dispatched” or killed merely because they no longer provide profit. Katie Lopes-Raftery, a senior at MHS, concedes that she is “glad that it was ruled out.” She states, “If I could have voted, that would have been my choice. I didn’t think it was fair to have the animals race under such harsh conditions, so I’m glad that Massachusetts held the

same opinion as me.” Greyhound racing as an industry has been further declining, where Wonderland Greyhound Park alone owes Revere “$755,000 in overdue property taxes,” according to the Oct. 29 edition of the Lynn’s Daily Item. If the single positive of the greyhound racing, aiding the economy, is no longer relevant, its necessity in society dwindles to mere nothingness. The decision to dispose of greyhound racing in Massachusetts was one of great foresight that ultimately proved that man is dog’s best friend too.

The Blue and Gold November 2008

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fear fest frightens the public Cera Nolan Reporter

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N OCT. 25, 2008, the fourth annual Fear Fest had a great turnout. This year’s Dracula’s Crypt-themed fund-raiser, created by the National Honor Society and Fine Arts Club, could not keep the crowds away. The halls of Malden High School came alive when tour guides led groups through the haunted trail. While attendees waited for their turn to go through the horrific tour, in the packed auditorium the Grudge was shown. Although some did not find the event scary, it received great feedback and many thought it was worth the five dollar admission fee. “It was insane, like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” explained MHS freshman Emily Hoffman. “I got nailed in the leg, but other than that it was good,” she continued. The crowd was pleased and many returning attendees found it the scariest it has ever been. “It was so nutty; I just loved it so much,” claimed Shafrieka Williams excitedly. After a warning from a construction worker, the group was led deeper into the school, they eventually reached Frankenstein’s lab where a ghastly operation occurred. In a maze through the halls, monsters waited behind tarps draped from the ceiling and jumped out to give a scare. Going down the stairs into the basement, three witches stood on the staircase warning the group about the reawakened Dracula. The group then entered the Auto Shop of Horror. continued on pg 7

Auto shop students set up the Auto shop of Horrors.

Photo by L. Tran

A gargoyle watches over the visitors.

MHS Marching Band Going for a Crescendo

MHS Bulletin Faculty Fall Follies November 14th

Midsummer Nights’ Dream November 21st and 22nd

Crafts Fair

November 22nd

Pajama Day

November 24th

Wacky Tacky Day November 25th

Blue and Gold Day November 26th

Powder Puff Game November 26th

Thanksgiving Day Football Game Home vs. Medford November 27th

An Holmqvist Copy Editor

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The Golden Tornado Marching Band kicks up their sound as the season comes to a close.

S THE SEASON CAME to a close, the Malden High School Marching Band received a gold medal earlier this month at the New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA) finals. Excited judges praised them, ultimately giving the band the score of 89.9 with scores of 90 in almost every area. Also that same weekend, the band scored a solid 84.6 at another NESBA competition in East Bridgewater. The marching band is currently in Division III competing on the same level as bands from all around Massachusetts, including King Phillips from Wrentham, and Shepherd Hill Regional from Dudley. The band has around 60 members with a wide variety of instrumentation. The last few competitions have been a little rough for them despite a solid start in early October when they scored an 89 in music in their first show. On Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008, the band performed in Lowell at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) Finals. The band scored four stars in percussion (the drum line), three stars for Music and General Effect (musical performance), and two for Visual (marching). The scores at the NESBA competition were a shock to the band members considering the scores from the Lowell competition a week before. Indeed, many things

have changed for the band this season compared to the previous one. Armed with new uniforms, new music, and at least 20 new members, the band has experienced quite a shift this year for better or worse. The quality of their music has skyrocketed according to drum major Keith Newman who says that the guidance of Band Director Matthew Tavares has helped them immensely. With trust in their director and the whole-hearted help of the band parents, the students believe that they are heading in the right direction. According to sophomore and tenor saxophone player Maya Rogers, “Marching band has been a lot work, and I think I speak for the entire band on this, but it’s been a rewarding experience. I think we’ve all grown as musicians and as individuals.”

Kevin Chan prepares for the tournament.

Photo by An Holmqvist

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Local news

The Blue and Gold November 2008

http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

renovations take place at malden high

school election results

Continued from pg 1 start in the spring of 2009; the construction is currently focused on the Jenkins and Brunelli Building where they will install new heating, lighting and air conditioning systems as well as ceilings. According to Beatrice the vast project focuses more on mechanical and electrical improvements rather than big time construction. “We are going to try and make things more handicap accessible by installing lifts on the auditorium stage and building ramps around the school,” Dhruv added. Additionally, the project will be transforming a stairwell to an elevator for further handicap accessibility. Ward 1 City Councilor Gary Christenson stated that the city is currently paying for the project itself until it can be approved by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The MSBA’s funds come from one penny of the Massachusetts sales tax. If the plan is accepted, Malden will be reimbursed for the 90% of the cost incurred. Malden is fortunate enough to be able to afford the remaining 10% of the total project cost since they retired the previous debt. “If we had to take new debt on as a new cost, there might have been much more discussion about the ramifications to the city’s overall fiscal situation,” Christenson stated. During extensive renovations, teachers and students from C and D house have to make adjustments by moving into the A and B houses. Although several teachers agree that the renovation is an improvement, the timing is still a concern. English and Play Production teacher Sean Walsh, who will obviously be affected by the move because of classroom’s location, expressed a common theme among staff, “I am all for the renovating, it’s a great idea; I just wish it was more conveniently scheduled for the teachers.” Even with the untimely construction, overall it is agreed that the renovation is a much needed benefit to the school. “I’m really glad the Jenkins building is being fixed up. It’s filled with history, but I don’t want it to be history,” junior Robert MacMillan proclaimed. B House principal Fred Feldman complies with it being beneficial when stating “it will be a better working environment with new and fresh technologies.” Although the aim for renovating is evidently necessary and beneficial, Principal Dana Brown admits that during its process, “it will be exciting and challenging at once.” Detail of floor plans construction.

Paul McWhinnie Reporter Presidents Kerri Shuman, Stephanie Apollon, and Jennifer Delacy

Class of 2009

President- Jennifer Delacey Vice President- Annie Abber and Kevin Vasquez Secretary- Caitlin Abber Historian- Paul Yao Treasurer- Stephanie Tran School Committee Representative- Caitlin Abber Advisors- Paul Famegletti and Maureen Vona “The Class of 2009 has worked very hard fund-raising the past three years and they deserve a fun filled senior year that Ms.Vona and I are hoping to provide.We’re looking ahead to our annual fashion show, Mr. MHS, Prom, Award’s Night, Barbeque, and Graduation.We would like to include a few other events that are in the works.” -Paul Famegletti

Class of 2010

President- Stephanie Apollon Vice President- Elaine Tam Secretary- David Riemer Historian- Adil El Karmach Treasurer- Jack Tat Advisors- Robin Doherty and Jennifer Eby “We are excited about the upcoming year and working with the class officers.This year will be our biggest year thus far as we take on [JuniorVarieties].The class officers and fellow junior classmates have been working diligently on the script.You will have to wait and see what it is though.” -Robin Doherty

Class of 2011

President- Kerri Shuman Vice President- Jeff Duong Co- Secretaries- Monika Bashllari and Kristina Katz Co- Historians – Portia Johnson and Deanna Smith Treasurer- Phedorah Rosclair Advisor- Arlene Ceppetelli “I am proud to be the advisor of the wonderful Class of 2011.They are a great bunch of kids.We will be making items to sell at the Crafts Fair. I also expect many of them to help set up, work that day, and sell items at the table.We are also planning lots of involvement for SpiritWeek.The freshman and sophomore classes together will be selling Christmas trees this year.We have a Sophomore Leadership Council that will be working hard to plan events and involve as many classmates as possible at each event. I am very excited about working with ‘my kids.’”

-Arlene Ceppetelli

Class of 2012 The Class of 2012 has not yet held their elections. Not all freshmen will be able to run for class office positions. Advisors Paul Marques and Mary Ann Seager are looking for active freshman who are consistent volunteers. The freshmen have a slightly new system this year, where they have been divided up into eight teams. Every month, a different designated team organizes a different event, helping to fund raise for their class.

The Blue and Gold November 2008

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Local news http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

fear fest continues to scare students

new club at mhs makes history Kim Lombard Head of Business

Robotic legs fling back and forth in the Dracula’s Detention Hall, otherwise known as the wood shop room. Photo by L. Tran

Senior Danny Pimentel gets his face painted

Photo by L. Tran

Continued from pg 5 Entering Dracula’s Detention Crypt, the attendees witnessed a realistic scene of a girl experiencing a dreadful decapitation. After going through the mini graveyard, the tour ended with a hidden member in the group being captured by Dracula. Not only was Fear Fest frightening, it was also very beneficial. For every freshman that attended the event, one dollar went to the class of 2012. The rest of the money was split between NHS and FAC for them to go on field trips and for the clubs in general. Although Fear Fest only occurs once a year, the two clubs discuss how to improve the next one all year round. “This years Fear Fest was the scariest it’s ever been, but nothing compared to next years.” Claimed the advisor of NHS, Paul Marques. Junior Ngoc Doan paints faces.





Photo by L. Tran

False fire alarms have tempers rising Jacquelyn Dillon Reporter

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ETWEEN OCT. 6TH 2008 and Oct. 13th 2008, Malden High School experienced numerous false fire alarms. In an attempt to find the perpetrators behind these drills, MHS resorted to a lock down situation. When on lock down, both students and teachers must stay in their classrooms and are not allowed to leave unless notified by the principal or house principals. Once in lock down, no one is given the opportunity to Fire Department Deputy Chief Jack Colangeli Photo by E. Chiavelli pull another alarm. Principals, staff and students alike are outraged with the sudden intime is wasted. “We take it seriously.” The firefighters crease of false alarms in such a short amount of time, are always thinking and planning for the worst and eight to be exact. Freshman Amber Ferguson’s take think that safety is extremely important. “Firefighters on what has been going on has been mutual. “Point- lose [their] lives yearly due to these false pretenses.” less. I mean, why would someone do that?” Ferguson “We risk our lives.” Colangeli continued. From stated. At first, she thought they were scheduled fire the time the Fire Department arrives to the time they drills, to help new students understand the evacu- leave, another house, place of business or building ation procedure. “When I learned that there was a somewhere nearby could by burning. reward, I knew someone was pulling the alarm,” she Additionally, each false drill takes a large toll on added. MHS’ financial budget. According to Colangeli, it costs Not only have the drills infuriated MHS’ staff MHS about $1000 per false alarm. “There is a cost in they have also been angering the Malden Fire Depart- time, gas, and equipment use to the City of Malden ment. Deputy Chief of the Malden Fire Department every time the fire alarm sounds.” Principal of MHS Jack Colangeli has worked with MHS with fire drills Dana Brown stated. for 29 years and believes “whoever is pulling this is Although pulling an alarm may seem like an easy performing a malicious act.” Their location may be way to get out of class, the consequences can lead to very close to the high school, but when the fire teams suspension, expulsion, and the assailant might receive search the school and find nothing, a large amount of criminal charges.

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HE NATIONAL HISTORY Day Club is diving into a new year of personal goals and creation. Founded by juniors Malik Blue and David Riemer, the goal of the club is to teach students how to create the best possible presentation for the annual competition. Although it is not currently an actual club, the two are striving for the group to reach club status as its membership grows. The “club” meets every Tuesday for about half an hour after school to check the progress of each project. The club is currently advised by Greg Hurley and Coreyne Legere, and according to Blue, they “help us better organize our time and ensure [that] we are headed in the right direction to complete quality projects on time.” The advisors focus on different groups individually to become more familiar with the projects and help the groups on a more personal level. The annual NHD competition itself is a national competition in which middle school and high school students alike prepare in depth presentations on the topic of their choice. They are allowed to choose from a variety of mediums, such as a documentary, research paper, exhibit, or website. All of the freedom in this competition gives the students the opportunity to really learn about issues they are passionate about. The students give their presentations in front of a panel of judges, who decide which projects are worthy of qualifying for the next round. For Malden High School, the competition starts at a regional level, then progresses onto a state level and eventually a national level. The top two projects from each round are selected to move on. Riemer and Blue have competed in the competition for the past 3 years and have earned a 3rd place berth for the past two competitions at the regional level. This year they are working with juniors Mathew Maggio and Herman Tse and hope to move onto the state level competition. Above all, the members seem to be excited for the opportunity to be involved in this competition. Blue explained, “I would just like others to know that NHD is an ‘extra’ project and is a lot of work, but when working with friends on a project that you are passionate and interested in, it becomes a lot of fun and when completed allows a great feeling of accomplishment.”

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Local news

The Blue and Gold November 2008

http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

Obama wins mock election Dan Holmqvist Reporter

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City trash bags

Photo by E. Chiavelli

Update on the trash tax Brandon Knight Reporter

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HE CITY OF MALDEN is currently in its third week of the Pay as You Throw (PAYT) program. The plan, which city council members took on to save tax payers’ money and recycle more, has been viewed in many different ways. 15 year old Deanna Mann, a resident of Malden, stated that she is not a fan of the program, and neither is her mother. “She thinks it’s ridiculous. She thinks it is to get people to recycle more, and she also thinks the trash bags cost too much money for only ten bags. Although she is not fond of the program, Mann states that her mother now “recycles like crazy” and that everything recyclable goes in the blue bins rather than the bags. Another Malden resident, Lee Cordeiro, expressed that he does not like the trash tax at all. “Its ridiculous and the city of Malden needs to realize that and make a change,” he stated. Malden Ward 1 city counselor Gary Christenson believes that the new PAYT program has been effective so far. He feels, although people are not entirely happy about the new program, they are responsively cooperating. The administration has stated that 70% are complying and that recycling significantly risen. Christenson also stated that an estimated $2.5 million was generated from the program, but if residents continue to put out less trash, or skirt the program, Christenson presumes that the projected revenue number will come in lower meaning, and that either cuts will need to be made or the shortfall will prove to be made up in some other fashion. On the bright side, aside from the $2.5 million, between $400,000 and $500,000 was projected in savings in result of less trash being picked up.

School elections predict winner of the election by a large margin.

HE RESULTS OF THE MOCK election are finally in; Barack Obama won the mock election with an astounding 87% of the total vote. The 2008 mock election was held on Oct. 28 at Malden High while the real presidential election was held a week later on Nov. 4. The mock election, organized by members of Project 540 and the Justice and Government Class, was led under the direction of Richard Tivian and Gregory Hurley, both of whom teach history at MHS. They held the elections to educate and inform the students of the high school and also to find out what the students really thought about this election. Students voted for one of seven presidential candidates and three initiatives that appeared on the real election ballots on earlier this month. However, several smaller issues, like the senate race, were excluded from the mock election ballot. On the day of the school elections, pamphlets put together by Project 540 were distributed during homeroom. This pamphlet included information about policies and stances of the seven presidential candidates on major issues and the pros and cons of the three initiative questions. The pamphlet, along with class discussions in history class, helped the students make informed decisions when they were in the booth to vote. Moses Wasswa, a member of Project 540, said it was important for the students to “get to know what’s going on.” The organizers originally planned to have real electronic voting machines, but a memory chip only allowed the machines to work on the real Election Day. For this reason, the Justice and Government class was forced to count every ballot submitted by

each student by hand. Students reported to the auditorium or the library on Oct. 28 during history block to cast their votes. Mr. Tivian stated that his aim was to make the voting experience “as real as possible” and to “give every kid a feel for what it is actually like to vote.” The students’ names were crossed off a list at a sign-in table decorated in red, white, and blue. Then they were allowed to cast their vote in small white booths and had their names crossed off on a separate sheet at the check-out station. Their votes were subsequently placed in a vintage voting machine and counted later the next day. Students that did not have a history class or that had a history class during period 3 (the period that was missed on the day of the mock election) were also allowed to vote at the end of the day. Sophomore Mandy Liao voted for the Green Party Candidate, Cynthia McKinney. She thought that the elections were very informative and stated that, “before the mock elections, I didn’t even know who was running.” Sophomore Jonathan Sit cast his vote for Barack Obama, believing that Obama “accurately represented his views.” He, along with other students, thought the election ran very smoothly and gave him a “taste of how politics work” but also stated that, “the three initiative questions could have been explained a bit better.” The mock elections presented results that were predictable considering the Massachusetts demographic. Barack Obama won the election convincingly with 791 votes, with McCain placing in second with 96 votes and Ralph Nader placing last with 21 votes. Question #1, which proposed eliminating the state income tax, was rejected. Question #2, which proposed decriminalizing marijuana, was passed and question #3, which proposed banning dog races, was also passed.

mass workers take huge hit Michael DiGregorio Reporter

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N ORDER TO CLOSE the $1.4 billion gap in Massachusetts’ wallet, Governor Deval Patrick pitched his plan to eliminate 1,000 state jobs, along with a request to tap into the states “rainy day” fund for up to $200 million on Wednesday Oct. 15, 2008. This plan will also include having state agencies make an additional $755 million cut to help decrease the budget gap. Additionally, $52 million worth of voluntary cuts were made by the courts, district attorneys, attorney general, state auditor and other constitutional offices. That Wednesday evening, during the Statehouse news conference Patrick explained how by slowing the rate of the pension fund payments which would be fully funded

Workers struggle to remain afloat during economic crisis. by 2023, by extending this deadline two years the state can save up to $100 million. Also, by forcing the state agencies to stay within their existing budgets the state can save up to $146 million. During the conference, Patrick warned residents that there will be less police patrols, slower permitting processes for motor vehicles, and less maintenance done to parks and other open spaces. Other departments will also be affected in months to come. Include areas of education and health care. “Sacrifice must be shared,” stated Patrick according to The Boston Globe. There are two reasons for this $1.4 billion deficit. Initially, the increase in snow and ice removal left $300 in unavoidable expenses

during the winters because it was not originally covered in the existing budget. The second was the $1.1 billion drop in tax revenues because of the rapidly dropping capital tax returns. The $200 million withdrawal from the state’s “rainy day” fund will be taken out in addition to the $400 million that was already taken and put into the existing budget. This makes a total of $600 million that is taken out of the state’s savings account, leaving only $1.6 billion remaining in the account. This and about $341 million of Patrick’s plan must first be approved by the state legislators. Although this plan affects the state in many departments, there are still parts of the state budget that are off-limits for the time being.

The Blue and Gold November 2008

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economy eats up family income An Holmqvist Copy Editor

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HE DIRE SITUATION of the US economy has dominated headlines and has been a popular topic on the news lately. But as Senators John McCain and Barack Obama have been emphasizing since the breakdown earlier this October, how is this affecting the average American family? How is “Joe the Plumber” going to handle this one or rather, how will Main Street take this burn from Wall Street? Not well, it seems. No, this is not the 21st century rendition of the devastating 1920s and 30s Great Depression. However, tens of thousands of jobs have been lost this month, and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost over the past year. And no, they are not coming back - not for a while. So how is the Average Joe (not Joe the Plumber) handling this? According to CNN, millions of people currently cannot afford health care, and now close to half a million people are unemployed. According to Malden High School Business and Advanced Placement Economics teacher Charles Bowers, the economy’s crash will affect the well-being of companies and businesses around Malden, causing their revenues to shrink and forcing mass layoffs and lower wages. For the average American family this could be disastrous. “Despite what people may think, the problems on Wall Street translate very quickly to Main Street This crisis we are going through has turned into a financial ‘perfect storm’,” stated Bowers. This calamity is affecting everyone. “It’s the little things that cause the pain,” explained Mario Portillo. “For example, taking the T costs $1.50. People don’t realize that $1.50 is actually a lot of money.” There is more than one elderly couple who may not be able to find the funds to heat their home for the winter, or a single mother and her family who probably will not have dinner out for a long time to come. There is more than one student who will not be able to pay off his school loans in the future, and who can barely find the pocket

Senior Mario Portillo thinks positive despite economic hardship. change to pay for books and daily expenses. Many middle-aged men and women watch with worry as their 401ks go up in smoke; retirement is no longer a safe option. These

Photo by N. Dhruv

problems are not going away any time soon. For these families, change is essential.

Riding Out the Storm David Riemer Head News Writer

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Stock market in turmoil as Dow Jones rises and falls

O ONE EVER SAID that investing in stocks was the fool-proof way to strike it rich. “The stock market is a lot like the ocean,” local accountant Gail Mayer stated, “to catch the best fish, you need to be a smart fisherman.” Over the decades, hundreds of thousands of hopeful entrepreneurs set off on a risky voyage, hoping to reel in a big one, their vessels made from their desperate last dollars, Christmas bonuses, and inheritances. Some have found the stock environment harsh and unforgiving and have withdrawn from the market, retreating to safety, while those with high ambitions and complete faith in gut instincts have become stock-legends. Recently, however, the market has been much stormier than in years past. Tragic, all-time-highest drops in the Dow Jones Wilshire

5000 (Dow), such as the 778 point slump on Sept. 29, 2008, have forced many to abandon their stocks, cut their losses, and try to recover and move on. Even some of the most stock-savvy quake with fear that these 700+ point pitfalls are ushering in a massive national recession on the scale of the devastating Great Depression of the 1930s. To the public’s great surprise, these deficits proved to be fatal for many traditionally powerful companies. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two well-seasoned mortgage companies found themselves in a bind when too much money was lost in unpaid loans, and shocked their investors and the rest of the financial world when they fell. Federal bailouts helped to lessen the fall of the two corporations, but even then they continued to slip –a testi-

mony to the terrible power that the economy holds over everyone. Historic tumbles and hopeful upward bounds have characterized the stock market climate for the past three months and there are many people who are uncertain as to what they should do. “The best advice I can give to anyone is to just stick it out. The professionals aren’t lying when they say that pulling out of the market is only making the situation worse,” Mayer said. “The real problem lies in the spiraling effect these things have.” This “spiral” Mayer mentions is the reason why even an isolated drop in revenue in one business type can wind up affecting a series of other businesses as well. When businesses begin to report profit losses for any reason (be it the stock market or otherwise) it

tries to cut back on its expenditure generally by abolishing jobs or shaving wages. The employees affected by these decisions then need to tighten their budget, disrupting their personal contribution to the economy’s flow. When people spend less money, businesses lose profit, and the whole situation continues to worsen. The cycle sends the economy into a downward spiral and the consumers into a state of panic. With the nation in the state of economy-induced alarm that it is currently in, it is not going to be ominously exorbitant bailout plans which are going to calm the frightened and hiding people. “If the government thinks they have any chance of calming this hysteria,” Mayer says, “they had better start with the people.”

10 The 2008 BAILOUT Nidale Zouhir Copy Editor

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HE EMERGENCY Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, infamously known as “the bailout,” went into effect Oct. 3, 2008 in response to the prior financial crisis in September. It authorized the United States Secretary of Treasury to spend up to $700 billion to help the nation’s banks by purchasing mortgage-backed securities. The US government bought $250 billion worth of shares of national banks’ stocks and now has a significant stake in the country’s banks. In theory, this should increase bank lending and minimize the chance of worsening the recession. However, many economic analysts believe that the recession is so inescapable that it will only get worse. The act comes after three other bailouts in 2008: Bear Stearns ($30 billion), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ($200 billion), and American International Group ($85 billion), all of which were helped by the government, and brought the total government bailouts to over one trillion dollars this year. The Bush administration, presidential candidates Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, 72 other members of the Senate, and 263 members of the House of Representatives believe that the act will be a sufficient solution to the economic crisis. However, Malden High School students disagree. “It won’t help anybody in the long run,” sophomore Rachael Solano stated, mentioning that with the country so deep in deficit, the bailout would likely be more harmful than helpful. “It’s just putting the nation further in debt than it already is,” sophomore Michael Solimini agreed. Other MHS students view the act as a bad idea because of the way it has treated the economy; a few more attribute the way the DOW Jones seems to be on an eternal roller coaster to the government’s bailout.

The Blue and Gold November 2008

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Bad Economy Has Home Foreclosures Through the Roof Patti McClenthen Copy Editor

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Families find themselves struggling to keep their homes.

ODAY, FIVE hundred thousand Americans are on the streets, looking for new homes and being forced to leave their old ones behind. These people are victims of home foreclosures, which have quickly grown in numbers since the economy went downhill in March of 2008. A foreclosure is a legal process in which an owner’s property rights are terminated due to a default, or inability to make payments. When a home is foreclosed, there is usually a public auction held to sell it again. Craig Spadafora of the Malden City Council does not think that home foreclosures have affected Malden yet. He thinks that it will hit, however, in the beginning of the new year. His predictions for the future of the country are that we will hit rock bottom, and then work our way back up. He says, however, that home buyers are lucky. “It is a great time to be buying a home right now, just make sure you can afford the home you are buying.” If you already own a home, then Spadafora says that the only way to avoid getting your home foreclosed is to stay on top of things money-wise. He says to pay the mortgage on time, and to lower the amount of reckless spending. Similar opinions come from Charles Bowers, an economics teacher at Malden High. Bowers explained how the economy has affected home foreclosures. According to him, the economy has risen the count of homes that have

Zombie Tag is coming to MHS “Humans vs. Zombies” is a game of tag. A group of human players attempts to survive a “zombie outbreak” by not being tagged by a growing group of zombies. The MHS game is being played this year, with rolled up socks as the weapon of choice for human survival. The Freshman Class of 2012 is organizing this event to help kick off the High Schools’ “Spirit Week”. Any one who would like to donate new socks to help the “humans” defend the school against zombies can bring them to the Main office anytime before November 22, 2008. Later, all socks will be washed and donated to the Pine Street Inn, a shelter for the homeless.

Homes in Malden. been foreclosed. “We are heading into a recession if we are not already there,” he states, “and recessions are associated with higher rates of unemployment, which we are seeing now.” He quickly searched the unemployment rate, and there is good news for Malden. Compared to the country’s disastrous 6.1% unemployment rate, Malden’s 4.7% unemployment rate is considered quite healthy. Bowers explains that, “we are not getting hit as bad as the rest of the country, which is good, but if the recession continues into 2009, I would expect Malden’s unemployment rate to go up.” A recession is when a country’s Gross-Domestic-Product rate (GDP) goes down two quarters in a row. If it continues to go down for a few more months, we are considered to be in a depression. Bowers thinks that there is a very strong connection between the economy and the presidential election. “America has

Photo by C. Rodriguez

always voted for its pocket book,” he explains. When times are economically good, the people will vote for the status quo. When they are bad, they vote for change. Bowers remembers the Clinton election in 1992 when Clinton used the slogan, “It’s the economy, stupid,” to campaign for change. Bowers knows that the future of MHS students depends on their decisions, and making good choices about their home and finances are no exception. He says, “High school kids should learn to be responsible for the debt that they incur, and to be realistic about their budgets. They have to know what they can and can not afford, and then they will be able to avoid foreclosures.” Whether the economy gets better or worse, future home buyers will have to watch their bank accounts and spend wisely.

The Blue and Gold November 2008 Continued from pg 1 2008 turnout rate is an implausible 64.1 percent, the highest since 1908. Moreover, this is the first time since 1994, during the Clinton years, that the democrats have had control of the White House, House of Representatives and Congress. Additionally, his campaign implemented the widespread use of the Internet in order to raise millions of dollars in funds and enlist host of volunteers. Now that Obama has secured his place in our nation’s history, what attempts will he make in order to restore America to its seemingly distant past? According to MCNBC.com, Obama promises a tax cut to 95% of Americans, and plans to offer better access to health care for the 45 million people currently without insurance. Furthermore he aims to improve teachers’ salaries and aid struggling school systems. However, lying in front of him is a budget deficit running into hundreds of billions of dollars a year; a national debt that has exceeded $10 trillion, left countless homes foreclosed, initiated 500-point plunges in the stock market, and caused food and gas prices to sky-rocket. In addition to the financial crisis his foreign policy challenges pose an arduous obstacle. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the prospect of Iran and several other leading world powers supporting nuclear proliferation, the resurgence of the Taliban and an abundance of problems that demand urgent attention. According to BBC news, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has issued a statement about the overseas treatment of his people, stating, “This is my first demand of the new president of the United States-to put an end to civilian causalities.” Several political pundits feel

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Obama fans in Nashua, N.H. Jan. 8, 2008.

Photo by E. Chiavelli

Barack Obama and his wife Michelle kiss before his speech in Nashua, N.H. Jan. 8, 2008. that Obama is not experienced in handling these lofty tasks. According to BBC news, Daniel Korski, European Council of Foreign Relations specialist who has held senior advisory post in the British and Us government, suggested Obama should tone down his rhetoric to avoid unrealistic expectations. How-

ever, as a graduate of Harvard Law School and a former community organizer, Obama’s dazzling speeches, and nearly flawless campaigning strategies, have “emphasized hope and change, and he has attracted, obviously, millions of supporters whom agree on what change they want and hopes they are hoping to

Photo by E. Chiavelli

be satisfied,” added McDonald. Despite countless challenges that lie ahead, Obama has already inspired legions of people and has changed the status quo. He has become a symbol of change and will hopefully restore America’s tarnished world standing.

Tainted Chinese Products Infiltrate the Nation’s Food Supply Omar Khoshafa Reporter

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UTHOR SARA BONGIORNI tried to accomplish the impossible. She decided to find out if it was really possible to go for a whole year without purchasing any products manufactured in China. After a few months of executing this “boycott,” she finally came to realize that living on products made in places other than China is nearly impossible. Almost 75% of the world’s toys are made in China, and 80% of toys sold in the United States are Chinese-made. This was a major crisis last year, when toys imported from China contained lead paint, a highly poisonous substance. In Aug., 2007, Mattel Inc., the nation’s largest toy maker, had to recall more than nine million Chinese-made products because of the lead incident. Presidential candidate Barack Obama said, “I would stop the import of all toys from China. I have to say, that’s about 80 percent of the toys that are being imported right now.” In today’s economic world, the US is extremely dependent on Chinese

exports. Products range from apple juice to shoes to cell phones. The nation’s reliance on Chinese products has already proved harmful for the US as it did during the tainted toys crisis. About one year after the tainted toys incident, another Chinese-made baby milk powder was found to be contaminated. More than 50,000 infants became ill and at least three died from this tainted powder. As of now, nearly a quarter of all Chinese infants have been fed tainted milk. Melamine, a substance banned in foods, has been found in 33 different Chinese products, with the milk formula being just one of them. Traces of exported Chinese biscuits, candy, and tainted milk powder have been found in the U.S. Federal health authorities say tainted products cause about 76 million people to become sick annually. They are also the cause of death for more than 5,000 people each year, more than the number of people who die from fires or drowning. How do

these tainted products infiltrate our food supply? These products find their way into our supermarkets because the Food and Drug Administration claims they can only inspect about 1% of all imported foods. This is not proportional to the 15% of imported products found in the average American’s diet. “Recent and repeated reports of tainted food and product imports are causing fear and uncertainty in American consumers and harming the ‘Made in China’ brand here in the United States,” stated U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. This is true because consumers now have to think twice before buying Chinese products. Just recently a tainted product has snuck into this year’s Halloween candy list. The Pirate’s Gold Chocolate coins have been recalled after testing positive for melamine. Describing the effects of melamine on the body, Mrs. Votaw, a biology teacher, stated “when melamine combines with cyanic acid in the bloodstream it

crystallizes and can block kidneys like a kidney stone would. This will cause toxic build up in the body, and if not treated, it may be fatal.” The average American consumer can make several choices in order to prevent buying tainted products. They may buy all organic foods (from stores such as Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, etc.) Another option the consumer has is to rinse foods thoroughly before eating them. This will ensure the removal of bacteria hidden in the food. The case of tainted products is a matter of national security, and if it involves protecting citizens from foreign imports, then keeping people safe from toxic consumer goods produced in other countries must be a priority. Lois Klarevas, a political science professor at New York University explained, “In an era when international trade is a given, there is no excuse for failing to integrate quality control into national security.”

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Entertainment

The Blue and Gold November 2008

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So you think you can dance rocks boston Kimberly Lombard Head of Business Team

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HE SO YOU THINK You Can Dance tour danced through the Agganis Arena on Oct. 29 and 30, 2008. The popular top 11 dancers from the show along with two special guests packed the arena so quickly that Boston was the only stop on the tour that had added an extra night. Sponsored by Snuggles, the show highlighted all of the fan-favorite dances from throughout the season that were choreographed by Mia Michaels, Mandy Moore, “Tabitha and Napoleon,” Tyce Diorio, Jean Marc Genereux, Sonya Tayeh, and Dioriana Sanchez and that incorporated Two of the Top 10 finalists perform a routine during the tour. all eleven dancers. Each dancer also performed a solo accomPayne and Stephen Boss (more and has completely lost her mobile panied by a clip reminiscing their commonly known as “Twitch”). The ability. He expressed on the show experience on the show. show lasted for about three hours that “her eyes light up when she The show was a raging suc- and incorporated everything from sees people dance.” Payne and Boss cess. The dances that the top 11 per- quirky moves to choreography that performed the dance beautifully and formed were some of the season’s tugged at your heart strings. One soon after the performance, caused highlights, especially Tabitha and particularly emotional dance was the audience to erupt in a mixture of Napoleon’s hip hop number to “No Genereux’s Viennese Waltz, danced tears and applause. Air” and Michael’s contemporary Payne and Boss. The dance was inIn contrast, another extremely routine to “Dreaming With a Bro- spired to touch Genereux’s daughter popular dance was Michael’s choreken Heart,” danced by Kherington who suffers from Rett Syndrome ography to Duffy’s “Mercy.” Katee

The haunting of molly hartley disappoints Nidale Zouhir Copy Editor

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ESPITE AN attractive young cast and tolerable acting, The Haunting of Molly Hartley was not nearly as exciting as its trailers made it out to be. The film (directed by Mickey Liddell, of Everwood) is about a high school senior named Molly Hartley (Haley Bennett) whose parents sell her soul to the devil in order to save her life. If she is not killed before her 18th birthday, the “darkness” will supposedly take over. This leads to multiple murderous attempts on her life by her mother (played by Marin Hinkle) and even, at one point, her first friend at her new school (played by Shanna Collins). Throughout the movie, Hartley manages to entrance a rich, popular boy named Joseph Young (Chace Crawford), who, coincidentally, has a girlfriend. She also befriends the school’s resident troublemaker Leah (Shannon Marie Woodward). The movie starts off with an interesting plot involving the deal made between the devil and another girl’s parents, but thereon after, the movie is a boring letdown. Clichéd themes like the scholarship student outcast and the druggie that the protagonist somehow reforms, along with overused lines (“I know what you are!”) lead to what seems more like two hours of back story with a ten minute climax and barely any resolution than a real movie.

The way Hartley sells her soul and ends up valedictorian with the rich, popular Joseph Young as a boyfriend makes the director come off as a Jesus-hating demon worshipper. This is enhanced by the way religious-freak Alexis seems crazy at the best of times. T h e characters in the film are forgettable and mainly consist of high school movie clichés, like the popular jock’s (Crawford) jealous girlfriend (AnnaLynne McCord), who terrorizes the intriguing and odd new girl. These only add subplots that the film could do without, especially since most are left unresolved. The script does very little justice to the decently talented actors, giving Crawford and McCord’s characters very few lines; McCord simply gives Hartley dirty looks throughout the movie, while Crawford basically stands around and looks pretty. In the end, the audience is left confused and annoyed at the vagueness of the end of the film. This, in addition to the lack of any real plot or action, led to what is overall a bad movie with very few redeeming qualities.

Shean and Boss use their dancing to tell an entertaining story about a crazy ex-girlfriend and her relationship with her boyfriend. The couple spent the entire number dancing through, around, and under a door placed in the center of the stage. In between all of the dances, the show played on a relationship that Gevorg Manoukian (Gev) desired all season long with Courtney Galliano. When he was not dancing, he was on stage attempting to impress Galliano, and at the end of the show, she finally kissed him. Those who do not follow the show may not see this as a big deal, however, fans have waited the entire season to see this. After the show, fans were raving about the dancing throughout the arena, and some even spoke about auditioning for next season. It is possible, after all, that someone in the audience this year could be up on the stage next year, and that makes the tour all the more worthwhile.

The Blue and Gold November 2008

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Senior year starts with a bang Alexandra Mathieu Reporter

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EBUTING IN THEATERS on Oct. 24, 2008, with an opening day gross of $16.9 million, High School Musical 3 grossed a total of $42 million in the box office. With such an accomplishment underneath its belt, HSM 3 proved to be the biggest movie musical to ever hit the big screen, taking this spot from the previous title owner, Mamma Mia. The third installment of the High School Musical trilogy follows the drama of a group of friends attending a fictional high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico encounter as they prepare for their spring musical, prom, and college. The primary plot focuses on Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), the main protagonist, who questions if the future his father has planned for him is the one that he would like to take. Bolton also deals with the decision his girlfriend Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) makes for college and the distance that would be between them. Accompanying this is a side plot that circles around Sharpay and Ryan Evans' (Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel) plan to get the leads in the spring musical and the single full scholarship to Julliard School of the Arts. This plot provides comedic relief through the antics of the Evans twins. Instead of harming director and choreographer Kenny Ortega’s vision from the previous films, the change from the television screen to the movie screen helped. The corny but irresistible lines that made viewers either hate or love the films were still present in the third, but with a $13.3 million budget, there were a few changes for HSM 3. One of the main changes is that where the previous two films had dance-along versions that taught viewers the dance moves in the films, the third will probably not. Instead of the easy and basic choreography, HSM 3 has

complicated dance routines from the waltz featuring Efron and Hudgens called “Can I Have this Dance,” to an extensive and intricate hip-hop routine in “The Boys Are Back,” sung by Efron and Corbin Bleu's character C h a d Danforth. The high budget also allowed the props and scenery department to be upgraded, which is best noted in the flashy and Broadwayesque performance of Tisdale and Grabeel in the song “I Want it All,” where there are numerous costume changes and even the appearance of the Radio City Hall Rockettes. Two new faces were also added to the HSM cast: Matt Prokop as Jimmie "The Rocket/ Rocketman" Zara and Jemma McKenzie-Brown as Tiara Gold. Prokop's character is a new player on the Wildcats basketball team who looks up to Troy and even hopes to surpass him. McKenzie-Brown’s character is a British exchange student who befriends Sharpay with her own hidden agenda. Fortunately the two additions to the cast do not detract from the movie, but add more (albeit clichéd) drama. HSM 3 shows just how much the cast, especially leading man Efron, has matured during the filming process for the High School Musical trilogy. Every person in the film seems to be more self-assured and confident in their parts now that it is their third time around, Efron espe-

cially. At the beginning of HSM, he was a little k n o w n actor playing roles in Lifetime original movies. However, once the first HSM film aired, he blew up into one of the biggest young adult stars of this generation. Efron is no longer the young, wide-eyed teen actor he once was, but a full-fledged celebrity. Hudgens, Efron’s counterpart in the HSM movies, has also seemed to come into her own throughout the films. After the mini-scandal on her more than revealing photo, Hudgens has seemed to grow up, even featuring in a new film called Bandslam set to release in theatres in 2009. The HSM cast is slowly leaving the sheltered world of Disney and stepping into the competitive world of Hollywood acting. HSM 3 lives up to its predecessors’ greatness as it soars to the top of the box offices. The final scene in the movie shows a drawn curtain and in front of it, the main characters in the trilogy. With tears in their eyes they smile and take one last curtain call, holding hands and realizing that their time has come to an end. Yet HSM fans that have been there from the beginning and even those who have just hopped on the HSM train will not be disappointed by an ending that fit such an extraordinary trilogy.

Midsummer Nights’ Dream November 21st and 22nd

Principal Actors: David Barrows is Bottom Bahar Baharloo is Helena Keith Newman is Demetrius Jenna Delaney is Hermia Patrick Keough is Lysander Sam Warton is Oberon Rita Cote is Puck

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FRINGE Captivates audience with Sci-Fi Theme Brittany Foley Copy Editor

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ADIOACTIVE PEOPLE, conversations with the dead, and infants born as adults are only a few of the bizarre factors in the new hit TV show Fringe that gives it a dramatic science fiction edge. The show was created by J.J. Abrams, the writer of the outstandingly popular ABC show Lost. Fringe's rapidly growing popularity has more and more people glued to the TV on Tuesday nights, yearning to see what happens next in the suspenseful sci-fi drama. Fringe was not an entertainment miracle; there is no mystery to its creation. There was no spark or sudden idea that started the Fringe phenomenon. The show's creation

was as mysterious as the scientific enigmas embedded in its plot. The show's creators, Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci, simply sat down and decided to create a TV show that was something entirely new. From that, Fringe was born. Anna Torv stars as federal agent Olivia Dunham in the show, who is haunted by her deceased partner John Scott, played by Mark Valley. Dunham, with the help of her partner-in-crime Peter Bishop, a down-to-earth character played by Joshua Jackson, and his psychotic science genius father Dr. Walter Bishop, portrayed by the hilarious John Noble, works endlessly to solve the chain of mysteries that have occupied in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. They are given the investigation, referred to as "The

Pattern" by Head of Homeland Security, agent Phillip Broyles, whose character is brought to life by actor Lance Reddick. While trying to solve the mysteries of "The Pattern," the three come across countless strange happenings and corrupt villains who have taken over the minds and A scene from Fringe. bodies of helpless victims. Filled with enthralling Although the two shows have many mystery, suspenseful story lines, and similarities, they are significantly acclaimed characters while defining different. Fringe, complete with gripping science fiction, Fringe has science-fiction, crime-fighting, and been compared to countless other mystery-solving is an overall comTV-shows including The X-Files. pletely unique story. Additionally, Everett High School senior Shauna the show hits close to home and has Schovanec thinks that "in a way, a comedic tone to it that is simple [Fringe] is a lot like [The X-Files], but genius. but at the same time, it is really not."

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The Blue and Gold November 2008

Sports http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

goal after goal they Boys X-Country runs through injuries made it to the top Paula Suarez-Salmanca Reporter

MHS Girls Soccer team makes it to states

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HE MALDEN HIGH School girls’ varsity soccer team’s hard work finally paid off when they qualified for the state meets. The team held a record of 8-7-4 at the end of their season. Senior captains Annie Abber, Tayla Plunkett, junior Thamara Eler and coach Laura Bryson are very proud of the team. After their win against Medford in the semi-finals and their tough game against Somerville in the finals, they actually had a chance to be “the champions”. “In the past years, things didn’t fall where they should have, but the girls really deserve it. Throughout the whole season the girls never stopped trying, but kept on working harder,” Bryson sated. She was optimistic that the girls would win. Sophomore Jess Lopez also felt amazing to know that they got that far because they did it together as a team, with advice from “the best” coach and “the best” captains. “Although we all might have mistakes, I believed in my team, and what it can do. The team has been doing extremely well and we are all working together as a team and

family,” Lopez stated. During the season Lopez really enjoyed singing songs on the bus ride to their away games and back. Lopez mentioned that even when they lost it was fun just to connect with the team by sharing their favorite songs. Eler enjoyed getting the opportunity to grow and play with so many dedicated players. “Something that I liked about the season was that the whole team respected each other and got along. We also had very good communication both on the field and outside of the field,” Eler said. Eler was very excited because this was her very first year qualifying for the tournament and felt very happy. This is Eler’s third year playing for the school and mentioned that, “never before have I seen a group of people that committed themselves so much to the team.” Eler was very confident in the team and mentioned that not only were they focused but they also accepted their mistakes and made room for improvement.” On Sunday, November 9 the varsity team had their tournament game against Andover, who is highly ranked in the league. Despite a good effort, the MHS Girls were eliminated from the state tournament with their loss to this powerhouse.

Senior Danny Pimentel runs towards the finish line.

Alfonse Femino Assistant Sports Writer

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HE MALDEN High School boy’s crosscountry team currently holds a respectable record of 2-2 despite the numerous injuries that have plagued the team. Head coach David Londino thinks the team is doing well in spite of the injuries. “We had a lot of injuries but we’ve not doing bad,” quoted Londino on his reaction to the record so far. Due to the number of injuries, the remaining runners have to work rigorously more to make up for the losses. In practice, the team uses a new method of training called repeat miles, where they run a mile, rest for five minutes, and then run another. Also, the team does speed work to increase agility. In addition to running, the team spends many hours in the weight room working on upper and lower body strength which also helps increase agility. All the practicing that the team does contributes to strong performances at the Greater Boston League Championship meet, and the Division 1. Ma. Interscholastic Athletic Association state meet. These next

Photo by L. Tran two events will be the most important for the crosscountryt e a m , Londino, however, feels as though the team is ready to take them on. “Our Previous meets have prepared us for the upcoming GBL and state meets,” Londino stated. Along with strong performances at the important meets that lie ahead, Londino has other long-term goals. With a number of talented freshman and underclassmen on the team, as well as experienced upperclassmen, Londino thinks the team is destined to have success in both the indoor and outdoor track seasons and next years cross country season.

Volleyball is set for success Barbara Jerome-Athis Reporter

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HE MALDEN HIGH School girls’ volleyball team ended the season with a phenomenal record of 10-4. “I’m very proud of the girls on the team because they gave me an amazing, successful season and I will miss them all next year,” expressed senior captain Kethia Mathieu. The team made progress hitting and spiking the ball across the net victoriously. Their amazing defense was demonstrated in their games through blocking and digging techniques. After being asked about how helpful senior captains Tina Phan and Mathieu have been to the team, head coach and science teacher Kristen Kirby exclaimed that “Tina and Kethia have been great captains. They have the respect of the team and were great leaders. They also brought a lot of humor to the team, making our games and practices fun.”

Volleyball continues to improve, looks ahead to next season Kirby stated that the team’s biggest obstacle was her inexperience with volleyball, but with each season, she learns more. The team’s greatest weakness was their offense, and collectively, they want to set up more spikes and bring more powerful hits. Junior Catherine Asare happily said that “throughout this competitive season, we have learned to integrate our specific talents to be equally successful as a team.” The team ended the remarkable season on a good note. Kirby proudly concluded with, “I am very proud of how well our team did this year. Even though we didn’t win matches from each of the teams we played; we were able to take some of the games. I have seen great improvement in individual players, and I am looking forward to next year.”

Volleyball team poses before a game.

Photo by K. Kirby

The Blue and Gold November 2008

girls XC takes a victory lap Alexander Gennigiorgis Reporter

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ITH ONLY ONE meet left, the girls cross country team is having "one of the greatest seasons ever in girls cross country history," according to coach Mitch Abbatessa. Led by junior captain Katherine Zheng, the girls have been heading to the MIAA Division I state tournament on Nov. 8, 2008. Abbatessa feels that the girls cross country's 4-1 record is "awesome." He also thinks that it is great that there are not any seniors on the team. Abbatessa also stated that even though injuries have affected the team a lot, these are just things one has to overcome in cross country. These kids chose to take the challenge by joining the team. "But this is what cross country is, it all depends on injuries. If you get injured, it is most likely that you are going to be injured for a while and that you won't be able to perform on the field so we have to take injuries seriously on both the girls and boys cross country teams," explained Abbatessa. The team’s motto "Practice makes perfect," is what keeps the team going because they are almost at the peak of their careers as cross country athletes due to their practice. To witness how much these athletes run and how much heart they put into their running is incredible. The team weight trains in the gym and runs around the city of Malden. They also do tempo running, where they run consistent mile time in order to improve stamina. Zheng is astonished that the team is doing better than last year, despite the lack of seniors. Zheng thinks of herself not as a leader, but as a helper. She wants people to listen and agree with her. The Golden Tornado Hall of Fame Inductees Marion Schulze Rush (Class of 1936) Wilford Bill Blais (Class of 1964) Brian Rutledge (Class of 1980) Carlos Villatoro (Class of 1997) 1969 Hockey Team - Rick Menard,Bill Boland, Steve Pini, Jim Coleman, Bernard Mayne, John Arbo, Mike Giannattassio, Peter Mullaney, Bill Brady, Phil Shea, Peter Hanifan, Rev. John Knox, Ruffy Mugica, Sean Rusil, Ron DiSano, Tom Reid, Perry Verge, Paul Murphy Joseph Brennan (Coach) Tony Tiro (Coach) The Golden Tornado Club Distinguished Service Award - Mayor Howard Peter Donoghue Memorial Scholarship M.H.S. senior, Collen Joyce Golden Eagle Award - Paul Joyce

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Sports http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

boys soccer kicks their way through adversity

Mandelli runs down the field in pursuit for the ball. Alfonse Femino Assistant Sports Writer

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HE MALDEN HIGH School Boys’ varsity soccer team, led by Coach Jeremiah Smith, currently holds a record of 5-7-3 and has overcome any adversities they had in the beginning of the year. Starting off the season prepared and “in good condition,” Smith says, “it allowed them to spend more time

Photo by L. Tran

in game situations.” They worked hard in practices, and played hard in games, but the only thing that is holding them back is not being able to work as a whole unit. An example of their lack of team work occurred during their game against Everett. Malden was ahead in the first half, with a lead of 3-0, but during their second half, Everett scored a goal and Malden panicked and stopped playing together.

Senior and team captain, Everton Mandelli states “we were scared of playing, if we were not we would have won.” Throughout the season, the team lost to tough competitors that include Medford and Everett because they stopped playing cohesively. Subsequent to their loss to Everett, the team slowly progressed. Sophomore Ryan Macedo says that “every team has struggles but every team overcomes them.” Although the team is full of young players this year including “three freshman and five sophomores” according to Smith, their youth is not a detriment to the team. The younger players have stepped up and have taken on big roles. Freshman Soufiane Faris claims that his experience has been “fun and enjoyable,” and although he is a freshman he always felt as if he was a part of the team. The team has significantly improved since the beginning of year, making it close to the state tournament.

crew competes for the “head of the charles” Shannon Howe Reporter

MHS students compete in two day regatta

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HE MALDEN HIGH School crew team is reaching the end of a very successful season thanks to the couches Shauna Campbell, Sarah Jones and Natalia Santiago. “This season was really good; we accomplished a lot and it proved successful for all of our teammates and coaches” junior rower Samantha Power cheerfully stated. Practices held at the Mystic River in Malden, where the team is a part of the Gentle Giants rowing club and consist of land and water training; and of rate work and technique rowing are major focuses. This year, the girls’ Varsity A team was lucky enough to be a part of the “Head of the Charles” which is a massive two day regatta. Senior captains Ericka Ribeiro and Kristen Tran were part of the head of the Charles; which Tran called, “an amazing experience.” Tran and Ribeiro were picked out of a lottery and raced against 65 other boats from around the country. Although they finished in 60th out of 65, it was a life changing experience and the MHS team hopes to be a part of this regatta next year. “The races are really long and hard. You have to keep up your

Crew team warms up before race. spirit and be motivated for your team members,” stated junior rower Trang Trong. She explained that many do not realize the hopelessness a team feels in the middle of a race but that in spite of it, they must be optimistic and persevere. This is the key reason the team is doing so well. The co-ed practices enable both the boys and the girls to have quite a successful season. “The teams did great and I’m very pleased with their improvements” said Jones. The boys’ Varsity crew team also had a great season and keeps improving

Photo by D. Barrows each race. David Barrow’s senior caption encourages the team thus, they exceed expectations. Overall the season exceeded expectations. “I can’t speak for the whole team but I know that most of us worked our hardest to show up to practice everyday and fought to bring down our time during races,” Power explained. She concluded during the season we’ve all been doing nothing but improving our times and our form. Individually we try our hardest to improve and as a team we help each other improve.”

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Sports

The Blue and Gold November 2008

http://my.highschooljournalism.org/ma/malden/mhs/

MHS Football continued continued from pg 1 vidual offense and defense work on different days of the week. Towards the end of the week, the team practices as a whole. One of the most important parts of the team, and the strongest, are the lineman. The linemen block and drive the defense. Senior captains David Freni, Mike Gilardi, and Colin Power are always relied on by the team. They exhibit leadership qualities by not only working hard in practices, games, and in the weight room but also in their academics as well. Players invest trust in captains just as much as Lopresti if there is a problem. “They take care of everything on and off the field,” Lopresti stated. Injuries have taken a toll this year’s team. Players have had to contribute more, step up, and fill in the spots. This year’s team consists of many new players and Freni had high hopes. Although full effort was put into each game, Freni was still disappointed “We definitely have more fun this year,” Freni says. As one of these seasons’ captains, it is Freni’s job to be a leader and a good role model for the team. Shak Sexemant, Colin

MHS team defending against the opposing team.

Power, and Frankie Dun are other key players that have helped bring the team to where they are now. For the remaining part of the season, the Tornadoes plan on showing off their training principles and trying to play their absolute best.

Celtics preview Erica Marangos Reporter

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doc rivers hopes to lead the celtics to win finals again

N OCT. 28, 2008 the Boston Celtics held opening night where they unfurled the banner of their win in the Finals from last season and had the ring ceremony. The rings were finally given to each player on the team as well as others involved with the team’s success. After the rings were given out, the Celtics 17th championship banner was raised to the rafter of TD Banknorth Garden. The whole team helped put the banner up all together with excitement and joy. Before the game, in an interview with Rivers, he expressed a strong feeling that the team might not play to their fullest because of all the excitement before the game. The Celtics are hoping to make it to the finals and win again with a great season record. The Cavaliers came out strong for the first two periods of the game. Pierce took a jump shot and hit it, making the ending score of the first period 28-22. The Celtics still continued to fight and struggle, ending the second period with a score of 50-43, the Cavaliers still leading. During the third and forth periods, the Celtics stepped up their defensive and offensive playing. By the end of the third period, the score was 67-63. With the Celtics still in the lead game, the last five minutes was full of foul shots and time outs, but even with those distractions they won 90-85 at the close of the game. In second game on the season Saturday Nov. 1, 2008, Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 15 points, but shot 3-for-15 from the field. Ray Allen finished with 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting. The Celtics had 24 turnovers and shot 21-for-35 from the freethrow line. The Celtics suffered their first loss of the season, dropping a 95-79 road decision to the Pacers. After having their first lost on the road the Celtics made a great improvement with their win against the Rockets Tuesday Nov. 4, 2008. Ray Allen fired off 29 point thin the game, with 11 points in the forth period. Kendrick Perkins scored 15, while Kevin Garnett had 14 points and 11 rebounds. With the final score of 103-99. They currently have with a record of 3-1. With two home game wins, I away game win, and a away game loss.

On Nov. 7, the team played against Melrose and when asked how he felt Freni commented, “We’ll be competitive; they are undefeated, so it’s going to be a tough game.” The next game is against the number one ranked team, Everett

Photo by E. Chiavelli

for the GBL championship. Freni admitted that in order tie in the team must, “play a perfect game.”

red sox disappoint Brittany McFeeley Reporter

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HE BOSTON RED SOX made a valiant attempt to come back from three games to one against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Their hard work and effort brought them back to three wins, tying them with the Rays. According to baseball experts, the Red Sox had the second best comeback in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. Sadly, in game seven their effort was not enough, and the Rays won the series four games to three. “At first I thought we had the game in the bag and I automatically thought we would make it to the series until Tampa Bay started to score and we did not,” replied Juan Watson, a freshman attending Malden High School. “I kept expecting the Red Sox to win because that seems to be what they always do in the biggest games, but they weren't able to get the big hits this time. It was unfortunate for them that David Ortiz was not his usual self throughout the series and the playoffs,” stated Ben Max, a history teacher and a New York Mets fan. The Rays had a similar goal to win the playoffs. The Rays have never won a championship or even

made it into playoff contention since they have never had more than seventy wins in their previous seasons. Tampa Bay played hard especially in the last two innings when relief pitcher, David Price, an all-star left-handed pitcher, pitched the final outs of game seven in the series. Price, who was last year’s first pick of the 2007 MLB draft, played an awesome game and earned a place in the championship. The Red Sox may have been unable to win them all but they had a prodigious season. “It’s a disappointment but they did well and that’s good enough,” stated Watson. The Rays put in excellent effort and made their way to the World Series. “The Rays clearly deserve a spot in the World Series; they won the games it takes to get there. They had the second best record in the American League throughout the year and beat the defending World Series champions in the ALCS. They have a very impressive team and should be right there with the Phillies in the World Series,” replied Max. For all those Red Sox fans out there, there is always next year.