The Bulldog's Bark
Winter 2000-2001

 

 

Spreading the Holiday Spirit

  Meet the Youth Service Board

  Construction Update

  Our Quest for Perfection

  Seniority

  Seniority vs. Freshmen

  What's the Fuss

  Season's Greetings Since October

  Napster: The Good, The Bad, The Legal

  Film Preview

  Venues and Tunes

  Water Sports Kick Off

  Bringing Back School Spirit

  Boys' XC Round-Up

 

 

Spreading the Holiday Spirit

MHS Students do more than their part... 

Information gathered by KAREN FU 

Speaking of Spirit...

Many students join cheerleading squad-a staggering display of school spirit. See SPORTS page.



Meet the Youth Service Board
By Michelle Turnbach 

    What is the Youth Service Board? The answer to this question remains unknown to many students in this school. It is a committee made up of adults and students who try to help Metuchen's youth with regard to drugs and alcohol. 
    Just recently, due to the Youth Service Board's hard work, many other governmental committees will now have teenagers on their boards. This means that many committees will now have a teenager's perspective. One of the most important will be the Recreation Department, which organizes activities for the youth.
    What about the early morning basketball and weight training? Who sponsors them? Naturally, that was a suggestion of two of the teenagers on our board, Mike Stempinski and Chad Ng. 
    There is also early morning access to the computer room on Mondays and Wednesdays. Next, the Youth Service Board is sponsoring a dance on Wednesday, December 27, 2000 from 7:30 to 11:30 pm at the High School. It will be casual attire. They try to provide opportunities for teenagers who were not able to go to the Snowball.
    Essentially, the Youth Service Board is the committee that provides the community of Metuchen with other options. Please don't forget to come to the dance on December 27th! The admission is only $2.01.

 

 

Construction Update
By Ann Marie Seidel

 

    From the science labs to the music rooms, almost the whole high school is under renovation, and the main concern on everyone's mind is: when will the rooms be completed? 
    In an interview with Gino Bravo, he explains how the new rooms are featuring heating and air, new windows, doors, floors, ceilings, lighting, fire and smoke alarms, chalk and marker boards, cabinets or "casework," and fume hoods for doing labs or experiments. 
    However, in this job and several others, he and his construction crew have encountered unexpected conditions that called for many changes and redesigns. 
As a result, there has been a delay in the original date of completion, October 23, 2000. He does, however, estimate that four out of the five rooms under construction will be completed some time in the next two months. 
    When speaking of the responsibilities involved with his line of work, Bravo advises people who are thinking about going into his profession to go to a trade school. "Not only do you get the experience in the field," he explains, "it's also a good education." 
In a previous job at Ocean County College, Bravo and his crew constructed 22 labs as part of a 6.5-million-dollar project. He comments that it is a highly paid field right now. 


 

 

Our quest for perfection
By Karen Fu

    The emphasis on body image nowadays is everywhere you go. Walking down Times Square, a teenager can catch glimpses of the pressures of society, from the latest fads in tattoos and piercing to "perfect" models displaying clothes (or barely any clothes) that convince you that they are flawless. 
    The importance of appearance, in fact, is everywhere in society. It is natural for people to judge and view strangers by their looks. But how are teenagers of this and future generations influenced by the way media portray one's body?
    There are many examples in the media that are causing our society to degrade its interior by upgrading its exterior. Now more than ever, the craze of plastic surgery is a popular way to become perfect instantly. 
    In fact, plastic surgery offers almost any procedure to correct one's body in our quest to be perfect. According to Newsweek's August 9, 1999 article, "Our Quest To Be Perfect" written by Claudia Kalb, cosmetic-surgery procedures have increased 153% since 1992 and are performed on women 10 times more than men. Even facial areas are being treated with laser resurfacing. And younger patients are being lured. 
    The article also stated, "Teen girls beg their parents for liposuction and breast augmentation, prompting a heated debate over how early is too early to perform elective surgery." This heated debate is evidence of the girls' urgency to have the ideal body. Patients pay the price for perfection; risks include burns, scarring, and changes in skin color. Some surgeries may result in death.
    Nevertheless, media coverage seems to be the main culprit for such focus on body image. Even the respectable New York Times had a little slip-up in its "Upfront" news magazine for teens. In its February 14, 2000 issue, the article "Boys Bulking Up, Girls Getting Plastic Surgery: What Are Media Images Doing to You?" was ironically followed by a full-length ad displaying a celebrity's near-perfect body. 
    Although magazines such as Seventeen and Jump deal with serious issues of definitions of beauty, teenagers of today are being fed with hypocrisy. While these magazines publish helpful articles about physical perceptions, half of the magazines include ads and pictures of celebrities with impeccable bodies. 
    Emphasis on appearance in the media is especially harmful toward future generations, who are living in the fast life of fashion and technology. They may not know the importance of inner strength and beauty. These "tweens," according to Newsweek, are rushing into adulthood with a confused perception of maturity. Articles about changing one's image to look like a celebrity or getting the look of Calvin Klein models don't help today's generation. 
    The clear message for the media is to back off. Teenagers are entitled to their own perceptions of perfection to develop confidence and self-esteem. With conflicting articles on the seriousness of physical appearance, ads for plastic surgery, and faultless models, future generations of "tweens" may never know the difference between inner strength and perfection.



Seniority
By Risa Chalfin (freshman)

    "It is our last chance to do it. We should have the ability to be in the number one spot..." 
    Most seniors feel that since it is their last year in high school, they should have the opportunity to do as much as they want. If you think about most of the activities that you would say this about (being yearbook editor, newspaper editor, first chair in orchestra or band, or the lead in the school play), you realize that it is usually your only chance to do this. 
    Shouldn't high school activities rank everyone equally? Why do upperclassmen get preferred over underclassmen when the underclassmen may be better qualified than the upperclassmen? Isn't this unfair? Why does seniority rule? 
    Since I am from the class of 2004, my class has had the unfortunate distinction of being the youngest class two years in a row. Therefore, that lets us endure two years of being told, "Wait until next year. You don't have enough experience, wait until you're older," and other phrases like that. 
    Although we have more experience, we are still not good enough. Last year, freshmen were moved up to higher chairs in band. This year, barely any freshman's chair was changed. Seniority rules and treats the underclassmen, especially the class of 2004, unfairly. 
    I didn't understand the deal with the Snowball either. Seniors got to buy tickets before everyone else. Again, we come back to the phrase, "It is our last chance." 
So who cares? It is my first chance, and I would like to go. However, since seniority rules, I had to have the burden of trying to fight for a ticket rather than casually walk up and buy one as most seniors did. 
    This seniority deal is not right. Why does a last chance rule over a first chance? Your last chance could become your first chance. Now that's no fun, is it?



Seniority vs. freshmen
By Cindy Chin (senior)

    As a senior in response to freshman Risa Chalfin's editorial on seniority, I would propose an opposite viewpoint. She argues that freshmen and even sophomores do not receive respectable positions in band, sports, plays, extracurricular activities, chorus, and etc. 
    How can underclassmen, especially freshmen, in this matter, expect to walk into the high school and be able to say, "I'm the king of the world"? After coming out of middle school where the most experience one has as being a "leader" is probably standing up to your favorite boy band, one cannot expect to use that minimal skill and have charge over seniors who have spent the four previous years training to be leaders.
    I am not writing this to belittle and degrade the freshmen at our school because maybe there are those who are more qualified to be playing on varsity or to be lawyers in mock trial than some seniors, but when a teacher makes a decision on who will be the next "editor-in-chief" or "drum major," I respect that that teacher or coach is correct and just in his or her decision in choosing the most experienced and responsible leader. 
    Also, there are clubs that do put restrictions on the grade level to hold an office, but there are enough clubs to compensate for those that do. 
    For example, in the foreign language clubs, anyone can run for an office, and class officers for student council are open to students in those respective grades. If a freshman proves to have exceptional ability, he/she will get the part or position over an upperclassman. 
    In conclusion, for the time being, let seniors have their time to shine because it is our last year, and the freshmen's "reign" will soon come. Just sit back and relax because your time will come to rule when you have developed the experience and maturity just like every other class that has stepped foot into this high school. Do not be sore at seniors just because you have been the babies for two years; it is not our fault nor is it anyone else's." 


What's the fuss?
By Caroline McHugh

    Why have seniors complained about the "tradition" of the location of the senior class picture? They had no problem whatsoever when it came time to sever the tradition of the democratic vote for the homecoming court.
    It is pathetic that the tradition of the homecoming court is now marred by the undemocratic and unjust "nomination." The method of unanimously electing a person as "did most for MHS" win the court after not even being justly elected is preposterous. How could a person be nominated "did most for MHS" win after such a blatantly obvious "did most for self" gesture? 
    What does it mean when such an age-old tradition is broken? Does it mean that any student can be nominated or break such tradition through several signatures and a well-spoken plea? What does that say about the person who was "elected," his or her character, and whether or not he or she should have been "elected" in the first place? 
    How do we the students know where the line is drawn? The approval of that petition was the ending of something that was supposed to be fun, a decade- old tradition. No one disagrees that the "queen" shouldn't have had her throne. What is in question is how she was crowned. It was wrong, and I am not alone when I say it was disappointing to watch.



Season's Greetings 
Since October
By Ann Marie Seidel

    It seems that every year, the holidays arrive sooner and sooner. If one looked into malls in October, he/she might think that Thanksgiving Day was non-existent. It has gotten to the point where a winter wonderland has expanded into autumn, and the 12 days of Christmas have become the 12 weeks of bothersome ads, commercials, and annoying sales people.
    It's time stores just stop with the "early bird sales" and "pre-holiday" gimmicks. By showing off their dancing Santas and holy wreaths, they will eventually ruin the holiday spirit.
    Stores like Macy's and Nordstrom's have forgotten that the store with the biggest holiday spirit doesn't necessarily have to have the biggest sales or the brightest icicle lights. By introducing reds and greens earlier than needed, holiday fanatics can't help but being turned off when December 25th finally does roll around. Stores should let families decide for themselves when they actually "need a little Christmas." 


Napster: the good, the bad, and the legal
By Brian Joshua Goldberg

    Rapper Dr. Dre became the latest artist to join the rage and sue Napster, joiningother distinguished artists such as Metallica. Yale University, Indiana University, and the University of Southern California all banned student access to Napster through their servers. More comforting, however, are the decisions reached by at least 10 other reputable universities, including Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT, all of which refused to ban Napster upon formal request. Overall, Napster has managed to extirpate the entire MP3 scene, leaving some internet users happy, others disappointed, and a whole lot of entertainment officials enraged. 
    To those who have not heard of Napster until now, it is a program that allows users to share music files. By creating a mini-ftp on each users computer, Napster creates a worldwide network of gigabytes of files. Depending on the speed of your modem, you can have any downloaded song in a few seconds to several hours, depending on the file size.
    So is Napster good or bad? For the casual MP3 listener, it is a boon from heaven. By connecting to this worldwide network, popular singles can be found instantly and downloaded almost as fast. Napster has made finding MP3s easier. Other supporters of Napster enjoy what it has done for the freedom of music. Napster is almost single-handedly enlarging the MP3 scene and with its ease of use, attracting many who would normally not have bothered to look for music. 
    Even though the artists are losing some money, they are not losing all of it. People must still buy the CD's to copy them onto Napster's database. The users of Napster certainly aren't making any money, and the copyright is there to keep peeps from selling copies of the music. Nothing is being sold on Napster. 
    While it has made many friends, Napster has many enemies. Major universities have quickly found their networks swamped down by Napster users trading files. Over 50 universities have banned Napster from their networks, and more are following each month. 
    Entertainment officials are raging over the copyright infringement issues that Napster drags along with it. With so many people downloading MP3s, bands are quickly being robbed of millions of dollars, money that they rightfully earned. Even some supporters of MP3s dislike Napster. Many have found that if your tastes are not completely mainstream; that is, if you don't like Britney Spears, N'sync, or Vitamin C, you will never find the music you are looking for. Also, Napster lends itself to singles; those who look for full albums should turn elsewhere. 
    Whether Napster is legal or not is one of the most hotly debated issues in cyberspace today. Napster argues that the non-commercial sharing of music is "common, legal and accepted." The Audio Home Recording Act," (AHRA) gives consumers an absolute right to create and transfer digital music for noncommercial purposes. In the words of Jimmy Pop Ali of The Bloodhound Gang, "rage against, rage against the machine."


FILM PREVIEW

 

Hannibal

The sequel to Silence of the Lambs. The movie stars Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, and Ray Liotta. Hannibal will be released in February of 2001. 


Pearl Harbor

The historical story of Japan's surprise attack on December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor is an epic tale of friendship and patriotism. The movie's all-star cast includes Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckensale, Tom Sizemore, Dan Aykroyd, Jon Voight, and Alec Baldwin. Pearl Harbor explodes in theaters early 2001.


The Adventures of Joe Dirt

David Spade plays a white trash character that tells his life-story to a radio DJ. At the age of 8, his family abandoned him during a vacation to the Grand Canyon. Since then, he's been on a search for his natural parents. Kid Rock, Brittany Daniel, Joe Don Baker and Erik Sullivan co-star in the comedy (early 2001). 



Jurassic Park 3
Who wants to see dinosaurs run amok for a third installment of the Jurassic Park series? It is rumored that Helen Hunt, Elizabeth Shue and Chris Klein are set to star in the horror sci-fi adventure movie (mid-2001). 



The Matrix 2

Carrie-Anne Moss, Keanu Reeves, and Laurence Fishburne return to the big screen for the sequel to one of the hottest movies (2001). 


Compiled by Jason Goldberg

 

Venues and Tunes
By Jason Goldberg

VENUES...

 
    I recently contacted a local Ticketmaster outlet only to discover that New Jersey has few venues-about a dozen professional concert halls in all. The makes it difficult for mainstream and local talents to perform. Every now and then, the public is lucky enough to witness performances by headlining groups such as Eve 6, 311, or Catch 22. It is evident that more clubs need to be constructed to maintain our pop culture. 
Birch Hill Nite Club in Old Bridge and The Cove in Roselle Park are the only two "real" concert venues in the tri-state area. Unfortunately, it is about an hour's drive to either of these concert halls. 
    The Cove encourages local talent rather than mainstream artists by virtue of its smaller accommodations and lack of publicity. Birch Hill Nite Club is much larger and promotes notorious mainstream bands in addition to local talent. Having interviewed bands such as Showoff, Goldfinger, and The Hippos, I came to the realization that most concerts will be out of state due to the lack of venues in NJ. So the next time your favorite band plays New Jersey, take advantage of it because your next chance to see them perform may be in Philadelphia or New York City.

TUNES...

     Last September, Eve 6 performed at Birch Hill, promoting their second record, "Horrorscope." The Los Angeles trio write powerful, "hooked-filled songs," guided by the intense lyrics of Max Collins. The new album is a pop-punk concoction of terse melodies and intrepid lyrics, an amazing follow-up to their debut album. 
    I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Eve 6's drummer, Tony Fagenson, regarding their new work. "The new album expresses how we, as a band, have matured over the years. The songs off 'Horrorscope' deal with the real-life issues of society." 
    The songs also tell anecdotes that most listeners can relate to. For example, "Here's To the Night" depicts the emotions felt during long-distance relationships and the meaning of a "moment," two concepts that most people can associate with. The album features twelve diverse addictive songs that fans and new listeners of the group will enjoy. To quote the band, "Eve 6 understands how to be serious without taking themselves too seriously." 
    Throughout the fall, Eve 6 promoted "Horrorscope" by touring across America. Birch Hill Nite Club was just one of the venues where the band performed. 
    I recommend "Horrorscope" to anyone that enjoys the genre of pop-punk rock. I suggest that all music fans pay attention to venue calendars because your favorite artists may soon be playing a town near you, and you won't want to miss it. 


Winter Sports Kick Off
By Allison Kramer

    The fall sports have ended and it's time to begin the winter sports season. Both the wrestling team and the girls basketball squad are training hard to prepare for their upcoming seasons. 
    The wrestling team, coached by Mr. Ulmer, is trying to adjust to losing eight seniors from last year's team that in four years had 57 wins, a phenomenal number. 
    The basketball team, headed by Ms. Gazda, on the other hand, only lost one senior from last year's team. The team looks upon the leadership and experience of the four seniors to guide the underclassmen. Captains for the wrestling team are seniors Jimmy Hansen, Matt Hale, and John Maano, all of whom are key contributors. 
    As for the basketball team, Ms. Gazda states, "The senior class will work as a unit-all are good leaders..." 
    Seniors Kristin Ragland and Cozette Ruddy are naturals who posses remarkable ability, and Amy Kalista and Lindsay Thiel carry over their soccer leadership qualities to assist the young group. 
    Both teams have strong prospects and goals for the season. Mr. Ulmer says about his team, "We wish to be as competitive as possible with all the teams in our division. I also hope to do well in the district and GMC tournaments." 
    The girl's basketball team hopes to improve on last year's 11-14 record, be very competitive in the Blue Division, and make that state tournament. 
    There is plenty of work and practice to do, but their talents should lead them to a victorious season.



Bringing Back 
School Spirit
By Megan Garrett

    When you think of cheerleading, what comes to mind? At the typical high school, it's a bunch of peppy girls who bring spirit to their school at football and basketball games. 
    However, students at Metuchen High School probably have a different answer. The low numbers of past team members coupled with a lack of enthusiasm have given Metuchen cheerleaders a poor reputation in addition to little support from fans.
    This winter's cheering squad is looking more promising than usual with an unusually high 20-plus girls coming out for the team, a lot of them upperclassmen. 
    This year, the coaches will be looking to them, hoping to bring out leadership and team unity. Another benefit to this year's team is the new addition to the coaching staff. 
    Along with Mrs. Sullivan, who has coached in previous years, the team is privileged to have Ms. Cray as the choreographer. Ms. Cray was on the Rutger's dance team and made it to national competitions, so her skill will definitely be helpful.
    Both coaches are thrilled at the surprising number of girls coming out for the team. They look forward to an outstanding winter season. The main goal of this new squad is to encourage more fans to come to the games and help cheer for Metuchen. They are striving to bring about a sense of school spirit that Metuchen has yet to see by bringing out more fans than ever. 



Boys' XC Round-up
By Corey Jordon (Sports Columnist)

    In cross-country, your number-one man is just as important man as your number five man, except when your number one man is injured. Your team must then regroup to overcome his absence. 
This was the case for the majority of the boys' cross-country season. Number one man John Randolph aggravated his hip while running in the Shore Coaches Meet, which is run at hill laden Holmdel Park. Randolph, a senior in his third season of cross-country, was off to a great start and the team was devastated to hear of his injury. 
    However, while the loss of their number-one man did hurt the team, they were not about to lie down and die. The Bulldogs put together a solid seven-man team which consisted of senior Billy Plantz, juniors Dan Ostermuller and Sam Hetzel, sophomores Corey Jordon, Steve Smyth, and Brandon Purcelly, and freshman Brett Sandbeck. 
    At the GMC meet, Mr. Holleran ran a team with only four varsity members. Sam Hetzel, Dan Ostermuller, Billy Plantz, and Corey Jordon rounded out the group. The Bulldogs did not receive a point total; therefore, they were not ranked in the county. 
    At the Sectional Meet, Holleran ran the four athletes who competed at the GMC with the additions of Brandon Purcelly, Brett Sandbeck, and an injured John Randolph. After turning in a second place performance, the team came back to Holmdel Park two weeks later to compete in the State Group Meet. 
    In that race, the team placed a disappointing fourth in a field of over 12 teams. They missed qualifying for the Meet of Champions by only four points. 
    After the race, Coach Holleran added, "Even though we did not qualify for the Meet of Champions, which was one of our season goals, I feel that the team put together a successful season, which was just unfortunately overshadowed by the injury of our top man, John Randolph. The way I see it, this team still has some unfinished business that I know will be taken care of next year." 

*Five of the Boys-Cross Country team members were named to the All-Area Honorable Mention Team and the GMC Blue Division Team. They include: John Randolph, Sam Hetzel, Dan Ostermuller, and Corey Jordon.




The Bulldog's Bark


Metuchen High School
Student Newspaper

Editor-in-chief
Karen Fu

News
Karen Fu
Ann Marie Seidel
Michelle Turnbach

Editorials
Cindy Chin
Ann Marie Seidel
Caroline McHugh
Risa Chalfin

Entertainment
Jason Goldberg
Brian Goldberg

Sports
Megan Garrett
Allison Kramer
Corey Jordon

Photography
Jennifer Rosini

Adviser
Mr. Michael Mazza
Assistant Adviser
Mrs. Yamilette Henke

BUSINESS STAFF

Editors
Stacy Ellen
Cindy Chin
Amy Kallista

Adviser
Mrs. Nora Ruhno

The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Bulldog's Bark staff, MHS faculty, or administration.

Copyright 2000

Web Page created by Charles C.