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Issue Four • the official school newspaper of Speedway Senior High School • February 5, 2016 Year of the Snubs 2016 awards season carries as much drama as the nominations Around mid-January, just as the hubbub of the holidays fades and everyone is getting back into their usual schedules, the award season mon- ster shifts in its sleep. With the Golden Globes past and the Oscars and Grammys looming, film and music fans alike are hunkering down to watch J O A N N A B E R R Y the award ceremonies Plugged In Reporter and celebrate today’s artistic accomplishments. These three are often the three major award shows that PERSERVERANCE: Leonardo DiCaprio plays a 19th-century huntsman in his 5th nomination for a Best Actor win in “The Revenant”. Both DiCaprio the public tunes in to watch. himself and his character, Hugh Glass, share an endless perserverance towards their goals - Glass to survive and DiCaprio to win an Academy Award. COURTESY To recap the Golden Globes, Alejandro G. TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILMS/KIMBERLY FRENCH. Iñárritu’s frontier-era revenge thriller “The Revenant” Snubs of the Golden Globes included “Spotlight”, the The third week of January revealed the of- was the night’s big winner, taking home awards for best predicted major winner, “The Big Short”, “Carol”, and ficial nominations for the Oscars, with Grammy noms drama, best actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and best director, “The Danish Girl”, which had led with five nomina- announced the first week of December. The Weeknd is going to Iñárritu. Most award betters were predicting tions. Eddie Redmayne, the star of “Danish Girl”, is also nominated for major wins in both - an Oscar for Best “Spotlight” to be the big winner of the night. projected to win at the Oscars for best actor. Contrary to Original Song and Grammys for Album of the Year, Along with “Revenant”, “The Martian” won two popular belief, the Golden Globes don’t usually predict Record of the Year, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Golden Globes for best comedy/musical, oddly so the Oscars - they are often predictive of little to none, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Pop Solo because it’s neither a comedy or a musical. “Comedy? even though the general consensus is that Leonardo Performance, and Best Compilation Soundtrack for But anyway,” Ridley Scott, the film’s director, said in ac- DiCaprio might finally win his well-deserved Oscar after Visual Media. cepting the trophy. “You’ve got to stay hungry and keep winning best actor at the Globes. bouncing the ball.” See AWARDS on page four Have a healthy helping of love For just $19.95 plus tax, shipping not included If you’ve ever been inside any sort of grocery store in January or February, you’d ● phileo (a lightly romantic, affectionate love), know exactly when Valentine’s Day is coming up. Pink and red hearts, boxes and boxes ● storge (love for friends and family) of cheap chocolate, teddy bears and various ● eros (intensely romantic love) novelties are plastered in aisleways. This is the The best way to explain the difference between phileo and eros is the same as lov- Valentine’s Day we all hold dear. Cheaply made ing a significant other and being in love with them. So why does the English language trinkets and sugary treats celebrating the love you only has one word to describe such a wide range of feelings? So why is there a holiday hold for that certain special someone. Noth- centered around purchasing gifts for their significant other? “On Valentine’s Day, we ing says “I love you” like a teddy bear made in think of love as, you know, a boyfriend and a girlfriend, husbands and wives.” Stu- a foreign sweatshop or an overpriced box of dents in elementary schools are required to provide a Valentine’s Day card for every chocolates, right? student and in high school we see treats, cards, and gifts exchanged between friends, So what exactly is love and why do we teachers, and random people who really want a cookie. So why is there so much celebrate the one feeling above all others? The stress from the media to have a date on the 14th considering the only implication of Greeks had four words for different types of romance was in Chaucer’s poem “Valentines” in the 14th century. love depending on what was receiving it. These I surveyed thirteen Speedway students and faculty members how they would show being: someone that they loved them, many replied hugs, make them feel appreciated, or ● agape (loving someone unconditionally supporting them when times are rough. So why did 53% of women claim that they despite flaws, often referred to a love for human- would end a relationship if they didn’t receive anything for Valentine’s Day-- accord- ity), ing to a study done by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, Valentine’s A L L Y S O N B U R N S See VALENTINE’S DAY on page three Plugged In Features Reporter

TRIBUTE ARTISTS, I DON’T MIND page 4 I Rain is one of numerous Beatles tribute bands that do the legendary group justice.

Photo courtesy of Cyllavon Tiedemann.

side BRICKYARD BATALLION page 2 The Indy Eleven NASL franchise has the highest average game attendance rate N league-wide with great support from their local fanbase. 2 Features The Force has definitely awakened The numbers for Star Wars Episode VII are in 13 or so, sat in a perfect row near the weekend, just skimming past Jurassic renewed energy.” And according to www. top of the auditorium and waited for the World’s $524.9 million. rogerebert.com The Force Awakens is show to start. Not only is The Force Awakens get- a 3 ½ stars out of 4. The website says, Finally after the pre-movie previews ting praise for being an economic success, “These films are a part of American were shown, the screen went black, the it’s also getting praise for being a fantas- history, cinema history, and our personal lights dimmed, and the sound became tic movie. According to film aggregator history, all at once. The new faces up real quiet. Suddenly, the iconic Star Wars Rotten Tomatoes, The Force Awakens there on the screen are as compelling as theme blared through the theater’s speak- is a “Certified Fresh” with a rating of the familiar ones because they remind us ers. The whole crowd erupted in cheers 93%. Along with the score, the website that in the world of “Star Wars,” as in our as the bold text STAR WARS EPISODE also gives a critic consensus that says, world, life goes on no matter what.” A N T H O N Y R A Y VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS moved “Packed with action and populated by Have you seen Star Wars Episode VII: Plugged in Columnist vertically up the screen. But all of that both familiar faces and fresh blood, The The Force Awakens? How did you like it? It was December 17th, 2015. I sur- quickly went away as the beginning scene Force Awakens successfully recalls the Did it meet your expectations? veyed my phone, entering the Carmike 18 started and the crowd focused on the series’ former glory while injecting it with theater from the chilly parking lot. The movie. And it stayed that way throughout time was 11:00 P.M. My friends Dalton, the whole movie with the slight excep- Jourdan and I scurried over to the ticket tions of the crowd cheering when they booth and showed the booth worker our saw familiar characters or when laughing credit cards to receive our pre-ordered at a funny part. Fandango tickets But enough about my experience, After the quick transaction, we let’s talk numbers. At the time this article entered the main hall of the theater gets published, it will be around a month and were confronted with banners and since the movie was released. Disney, the cardboard cutouts of promoting Star current owners of LucasFilms, released a Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. statement twenty days into the release say- We excitedly moved to our designated au- ing, “This afternoon, with early box office ditorium and were met by Adam Scheck, results in, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Evan Ochs, and Tyler Mobley yelling our became the highest grossing film of all names from the front of the line (their time in the domestic market, surpassing group got there around 9). the $760.5M lifetime gross of Avatar in a So there we stood in the line from record-shattering 20 days of release.” 11:10 to around 11:45; each minute feel- But The Force Awakens didn’t stop ing like an eternity. Finally, the theater breaking records here. According to www. workers came and opened the doors for theguardian.com, The Force Awakens us, fake lightsabers in hand. The crowd has beaten the previous record for global cheered and we quickly made their way movie debut set by Jurassic World. Ac- into the theater. Scheck and Ochs held up cording to the article, The Force Awakens SHATTERED RECORDS: The chart above displays how much Star Wars: The Force their promise and soon all of us, around had made $528 million during it’s opening Awakens earned in it’s first 10 days compared to other box office monster. Photo by Buzzfeed- News. Data by Box Office Mojo. Will the Indy Eleven build a new home? Indianapolis could see a new stadium soon If the Eleven want a brand new depending on where you sit. But with of Michael Carroll Stadium, their current stadium then they are going to have to only 16 home games in the 2016 spring venue. With a maximum seating capacity pay for it. The team released renderings and fall seasons, in order to help pay for of 12,100 patrons the current home of of a stadium that they believe should be a new stadium those prices would change See WAITING on page three their next home; however, the price tag drastically. Ozdemir, in an interview with was too high for Indiana’s state legislature WTHR, said that he “doesn’t expect to approve. In order to build the stadium to make money on the Eleven. He just For the past two years, India- shown in the renderings that the team hopes to eventually break even.” napolis’ NASL (North American Soccer released, they would need to muster up The Indy Eleven argue that the con- League) team has proposed to the state $82 million dollars. struction of a new stadium for the NASL legislature a variety of bills that ultimately The Indy Eleven are owned by Ersal team would benefit the city in a number allow for the Indy Eleven to construct Ozdemir who proposes to pay for a new of ways. They believe that Indianapolis is a modern soccer stadium in downtown stadium downtown in a number of ways a sports city and that introducing a larger, Indy. This new stadium would move the including taxes captured at the stadium more modern soccer stadium is the next Eleven out of Carroll Stadium where as well as at a new hotel that the owner’s step in solidifying Indy as a sport capital. they share a turf field with IUPUI’s men’s Keystone Realty Group is developing in The Indy Eleven are the only profes- and women’s D-One soccer teams. All the Illinois Building downtown. Other sional sports team in Indianapolis without of the bills proposed by the team have ways that the Eleven hope to cover the a stadium to call their own. The Eleven either been stalled or stopped despite the bill would be upping ticket prices, conces- are also only one of three other teams in team’s, and their large (and growing) loyal sion items, and other things of the sort. their league of twelve that do not have a fan base’s wishes. The question: Do the Currently, tickets to a single Indy stadium to themselves. Another issue that J O S H M A R C H Eleven truly need a brand new stadium? Eleven game run between $11 and $100 the Eleven face at the moment is the size Plugged in Columnist Features 3 A case of the final semester blues Senioritis from the perspective of your elders As our final semester of high school “What are you going to do, ground me?” ber of the Plugged In staff, and currently that with the flexible schedule options he is coming to an end, all members of the attitude. Seniors struck by this disease will a Ball State freshman advises “don’t give even has a “nap time” incorporated into senior class out of nowhere catch the try to skip class or school on a daily basis, up.” Stating that “now’s the beginning…. his day. Dominik has said that the flexible deadly disease known as “senioritis.” will be apathetic about everything, and get a job now” so future college fresh- days make “stress levels decrease,” though Urban dictionary says this disease is “a become hopeless. man can really enjoy the “experience”. saying that there is still the expected stress crippling [one] that strikes high school The cure to this deadly, airborne Haiden says, “...college is an experience along with college. and college seniors.” disease? Graduation. Unfortunately, that that I would want everyone to experience, Yes, these next couple months will Symptoms of this can include: date is 111 calendar days away from us. a chance to find out new things about be the most stressful of our high school laziness, an over-excessive wearing of As you recover from dying as you read (themselves)” With the experiences and careers, but we all know that it is worth that, just remember that 111 days isn’t college life, he had found the love for it in the long run. Just think after reading as long as you think it is. Fourteen of French and has even changed his major this, May 26th is minutes closer than what those days include Spring Break, forty- from Architecture to French Education. it was then when you started reading. Just four of those are weekend days, which Another first year college student, remember the rule of the sign in the guid- reduces it down to 67 school days. Dominik Garcia, says that the college life ance office: keep calm and graduate. This breaks down to a whopping is “so much better.” Dominik even stated 489.1 hours left in this building. That actually isn’t as much time as we make it out to be. These days will go fast, even if we dread getting up and coming here all of those days, we really won’t Right: know what to do after it’s done. After Keep Calm and twelve years, this is all we really have Graduate known to do, so for most of us, this is a huge culture shock when we are Photo by Pam hoisted off to universities around the Albrecht country. P A M A L B R E C H T Although there is a huge amount Plugged In Senior Columnist of stress to be placed on our shoulders, there’s always the upside to the college track pants, shorts, sweats, and athletic life. In college, there is no one to hold shorts. This disease is also said to hold your hand, or to constantly remind you of the features of lack of motivation, lack deadlines and tests. of studying, repeated absences, and the Haiden Vongpraseuth, former mem- It’s a Valentine’s day massacre of your bank account Is consumerism controlling the perceptions of love and romance continued from page one The average annual spending on ent meaning, the rose signifying eternal The abolishment of materialism in Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Valentine’s Day is over $13 billion. Of love. The gift of chocolates is due to holidays will never come to be because Survey. It was also found that 14% of that (allowing multiple gifts to be given), its property that produces endorphins, humans naturally enjoying the exchanging women send themselves flowers on almost half of that is spent on candy, creating feelings of happiness and con- of gifts. It makes both the giver and the Valentine’s Day. Where does this need 34.3% is spent on flowers, and half is tentment though it is not as much of an receiver happy and if companies don’t for materialistic validation stem from? also spent on cards. The tradition of the ancient tradition. cease the opportunity to corrupt and “I’m not really someone who feels like giving of flowers dates back to dark ages It seems producers and companies manipulate it for their own gain, then you have to buy someone things to show when there was poor waste management who sell and make seasonal goods at- what good is capitalism in our free na- that you love them,” says junior Andrea and art was a thing for royalty. Flowers tempt to reap as much as possible before tion? It’s up to each individual to decide Bowman. So why are there so many that smell nice, look pretty, and are close to summer rolls around and sales drop when how they’ll celebrate Valentine’s Day and do? free. Back then, every flower had a differ- there aren’t any holidays. Holidays are how they’ll express their love for the ones usually in the winter when over three mil- around them. So how will you tell your lion people in the US are suffering from family, your friends, your lover, and any- Waiting for a green light seasonal affective disorder (also known as one in between that you love them? seasonal depression). Indy Eleven hopes perserverance pays continued from page two the Eleven is nearly bursting at the seams. On average nearly 10,000 fans will attend any given game, the highest out of their 12 team league, and that number is only growing. Plugged In The popularity of the Indy Eleven has been on the rise since their debut game in April of 2014 (Fun Fact: I was actually a ball boy for that game). It may be time to seriously Staff: Pam Albrecht, Joanna Berry, Allyson Burns, Josh March, consider providing the team with a venue that can support its fanbase as well as estab- Tony Ray, Abby Thomas. lish them as a serious professional sports team here in Indy. Although the team has put forth two propositions to the state legislature for a new Adviser: Derek Doehrmann stadium, both were shot down. It is up in the air whether or not the Indy Eleven will receive city and state help to fund the construct a new home like they hope to; how- Printer: JS Printing and Publishing ever, the team plans to continue submitting propositions to the state legislature. The Eleven are hopeful that within the next five to ten years they will receive the green light Some materials provided courtesy of ASNE/MCT Campus. and begin working on Indianapolis’ new downtown sports destination. 4 Features Tributes and troublesome reputations Why do tribute artists have such a bad rap?

It’s a well known fact that for me at this point The Beatles are pretty much a way of life. My circadian rhythm is that of Ringo’s steady drum beat and Paul’s signature bass lines. The fact that I can’t see them together as a group breaks my heart. Imagining being at one of their concerts makes me wish someone would invent a time machine-- and fast. This is something that, while I will never be able to remedy com- pletely, with the help of tribute bands, can tend the unhealable wound-- pain management of sorts. As of now I’ve seen upwards of six different Beatles tribute bands (a few I’ve seen multiple times), a couple different Elvis tribute artists (which I’ve seen four years in a row now), a Frank Sinatra tribute, and a Buddy Holly tribute. All of them are fantas- tic and leave me feeling bad for anyone who’s experienced disappoint- ment viewing a tribute act. Many people see tribute artists and groups as corny and pathetic people that aren’t worthy of taking on the persona of their favorite art- ist for a couple hours a night. I’m sure that somewhere out there, there are groups and people like this that do exist-- I just haven’t witnessed it. I still don’t know where the general stereotype came from, and I don’t understand how, with so many great ones out there now, it has managed to cling on. I understand wanting them to be as much like the artist as possible, but to go in expecting perfection, like anything else, is ridiculous and ultimately unfair. Trust me, I’ve never seen a tribute artist and forgot that I was seeing a tribute artist. It’s not going to happen. I’ve spoken to members of a few Beatles tribute bands and the youngest person to ever receive the title of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist, Cody Slaugh- ter. They all agree that what they do is a direct result of their love for the artist themselves and a celebration of their music. They aren’t trying to be John Lennon, or Elvis, or anybody else. PAYING TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND: Tribute artist Cody Slaughter doing what he does best- paying tribute to Elvis Presley. I had the chance to talk to Cody a few weeks ago and he said, “It Photo courtesy of Instagram. started out with me as a small kid watching Jailhouse Rock and trying to be like Elvis and it just kind of went from there. I love being able to celebrate his cheek to the idea of anyone trying to imitate someone she had idolized since she was a life and interact with Elvis fans all small child. around the world. I’ve been very “I had visions of this fat, over-exaggerated Elvis in my mind, and there was no blessed.” way I was going to pay to see that. I didn’t realize how wrong I was until I finally went. Overall I’ve found, not only Now I don’t ever want to miss it.” After finally being coaxed into going, she acknowl- with Cody, but with most everyone edges that being so closed-minded about the idea of a tribute artist was silly. involved in the tribute artist field, I don’t quite know how to get people with a skeptical predisposition toward tributes their goal is to provide an authentic to feel any differently other than to just simply advise them to go. I highly suggest that concert experience for fans of all you go see what you’ve been missing out on. There are tributes for most of the the ages and calibers and to celebrate the more popular older groups out there, such as Rain for The Beatles, and as referred to music of the artist they’re portraying. earlier, Cody Slaughter for Elvis. There are also tribute bands for groups such as The Before my mom and I attended the Rolling Stones, The Doors, and Led Zeppelin. So, give them a try, and I think you’ll be annual Elvis birthday tribute concert pleasantly surprised. at Pike Performing Arts Center a few years ago, she simply turned her

A B B Y T H O M A S • Plugged In Reporter Awards shows come under scrutiny Lack of diverse representation causes an Oscar uproar continued from page one Supporting Actress all contain white actors only. Influen- ed. In the video, Pinkett Smith says to “let the Academy Despite the uproar over the Oscar nominations, tial black actors like Jada Pinkett Smith, Idris Elba, and do them… and let’s do us, differently.” the awards season is already off to a great start. Spike Lee are calling the public to boycott the Oscars. The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite was trending on social Leonardo DiCaprio’s win at the Golden Globes “We cannot support it and I mean no disrespect… But, media last week after a number of black Oscar hopefuls may be a hint towards what he’ll win at the Oscars, how is it possible for the second consecutive year all 20 (including Idris Elba, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Coogler, with a spot in the nominations for Best Actor, but contenders under the acting category are white?” Spike and the cast of “Straight Outta Compton”) were over- the Golden Globes never truly predict the Oscars. Lee wrote on his Instagram page. looked by the Academy. It’s also worth noting that the Still, we may finally have to put the “Leo DiCaprio In a video posted to Facebook, Pinkett Smith said Academy voters are 93% white and 76% male, despite and his constant near-misses of winning an Oscar” she isn’t even going to watch the Oscars this year. Her admitting a larger, more diverse group of members last meme to rest! husband, popular actor Will Smith, was considered for an year, and having an African American president, Cheryl Oscar for his role in “Concussion”, but wasn’t nominat- Boone Isaacs.