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What’s Inside: B-Line The Barstow School Student News Source Volume XLIX, Issue III December 9, 2005 Education 3 Evolves Light Up the Poker: an 5 Idiot’s Guide Holidays Celebrations, Creative Gift Ideas, & Barstow Holiday Memories pg. 6-7 Fall Sports 10 Finish Strong A Backstage 12 Pass Photo by Chris Neal OPINION B-LINE The Real Nominee: Good-bye Miers, Hello Alito By Ted Becker undoubtedly be repeated ad nau- Apparently step one in the seam by the right in the following White House’s Guide in How weeks). Unlike Ms. Miers, whose to Not Get Your Vice President prose was so bland and poorly Impeached is unify your base. written it was nearly comical, Step one, sub-point A would then Judge Alito shows an ability to at go something like, “Supreme least write coherently in his legal Court nominees with relatively opinions. unknown political stance and Democrats need not be too virtually no qualifications to be worried about Judge Alito’s a Justice other than being a close political leanings either. Though personal friend of the president: certainly conservative in his per- bad. Highly qualified albeit con- sonal views (he’s been referred to servative circuit court judge with as Scalia-light, a term that Demo- whom even the democrats will crats rightfully cringe at, because have trouble objecting to: good.” of his Italian-American and To the disappointment of Catholics roots), Alito’s record almost no one--except Ms. Miers as judge, while still conservative, herself, and possibly a few people is not as right wing as we might who believe that cronyism should expect, considering his personal still have a place in post-Katrina views on the issues come before politics--President Bush has him. finally pulled Harriet Miers’s In his most notable abortion nomination to the Supreme Court. rights case, Planned Parenthood In her place he has nominated v. Casey, Judge Alito maintained Judge Samuel Alito of the Third that women do have a right to Circuit Court of Appeals, based abortions, signifying that he prob- in Philadelphia. At the time of ably won’t be on board for any At the White House, Bush warmly welcomed Supreme Court Justice nominee Samuel Alito. this writing, Judge Alito is a new immediate overturning of Roe v. nominee, with nothing to judge Wade. stead that “Both statutes…lack apply, and the legality of the guns a political battle with their own him by except his substantial ju- In United States v Rybar, a jurisdictional element, that would be an issue for the states, right wing base, a battle the dicial record (a feature Ms. Miers Judge Alito’s most notable gun is, they do not require federal not the federal government. White House is currently not ca- noticeably lacked). case of record, he dissented from prosecutors to prove that firearms This nomination should come pable of fighting, it was almost as First things first, Judge Alito the Court’s opinion, stating, in a were possessed in or affecting as no surprise to most. In classic if Bush laughed and said, “Okay, seems undeniably qualified. He nearly liberal view, that Congress interstate commerce.” Judge Alito Bush fashion, the White House here’s my real nomination.” served three years as a federal may have the right to regulate the did bring the argument back to a tried to slip in not someone who And really, President Bush’s prosecutor, three years as Deputy interstate commerce of automatic traditional conservative point of was actually qualified but one of new nomination is exactly what Attorney General, four years as weapons, but that issue was not view, saying that since the statute their own whom they could count people were expecting from a Re- an assistant Solicitor General applicable to the case. Passing didn’t require that it be proven on to be loyal and pass decisions publican White House: a justice arguing cases before the Supreme up a possible chance to push that the guns were part of inter- accordingly. Once it was clear conservative enough to appease Court, and 15 years as an ap- his personal views on automatic state commerce, the Commerce that appointing Harriet Miers to the right and qualified enough to pellate judge (numbers that will weapons, Judge Alito stated in- Clause of the Constitution did not the Supreme Court would require appease the left. Final Exams Around the Corner The B-Line The B-Line strives to be a thoughtful and clear voice for Are You Prepared? Steps for Success: the Barstow student body while informing the Barstow com- munity of relevant events within and outside of the school. Signed letters or e-mail and guest columns are always 1. Form a study group with friends welcome. We reserve the right to edit any submitted work. to have fun while preparing for Editors-in-Chief: Madiha Aslam Allison Reynolds your harder classes. Managing Editor: Lena Hoober-Burkhardt Writers: Ted Becker Ashley Nur 2. If you can’t get much work done Margaret Fasel Joey Shopmaker with friends, try working one-one- Andrea Franz Abigail Watts Marc Kulick Whitney Watts one with your teacher. Shannon McMahon Evan Werts Megan Mix Kellyn Wieland Chris Neal Staff Photographers: Chris Neal, Abigail 3. On Thursday afternoon after Watts, Megan Mix your last final, take the time to re- lease the stress of the past week. Advisor: Lindsay Zimmerman Printer: MPress Dec. 9, 2005 B-LINE WORLD NEWS Destruction, Devastation in Education Evolves Pakistan and Kashmir in Kansas Schools By Margaret Fasel to the stricken areas. Pakistan has needed for their relief opera- On October 8, an earthquake asked for medicine, especially an- tions. Without this money, food By Whitney Watts alter their curriculum because it of terrifying force struck the tibiotics and painkillers. Victims and other relief items cannot This month the Kansas Board is a private school in Missouri. area of Pakistan and Kashmir of the earthquake face a deadly be delivered. The president of of Education redefined the stan- But alternatives to evolution with a magnitude of 7.6. This combination of cold, malnutri- Pakistan has criticized the U.S. dards for teaching evolution in have been incorporated into the earthquake is the most forceful tion, and disease. Without the and other countries for not do- school classrooms, throwing out curriculum at Barstow for years. to strike this area of South Asia needed help, thousands more nating to the earthquake as they any doubt concerning evolution Allowing students to choose has in 100 years, and it has caused could die. The area desperately did to Hurricane Katrina and last and intelligent design. allowed teachers to avoid conflict severe damage to people and needs tents and hospital provi- year’s tsunami in Asia. The debate over evolution from parents while introducing a property. The death toll so far sions. Hospitals are full and in The onset of winter poses divides teachers and parents. The new theory to many students. reaches to over 78,000 people, need of everything from more op- another threat to the people Kansas Board of Education ended “Evolution is a theory we with over 78,000 people in- erating tables to medicines. The affected by the earthquake. this debate earlier this month, teach the students; it has not jured. Many of the people killed area is in a disastrous state and is Without shelter those made declaring that both theories were been proven yet,” said Dr. Albert were in the area of Kashmir not receiving nearly as much help homeless by the earthquake will appropriate for students to learn. Leyva, who teaches freshman and controlled by Pakistan. About as it needs. freeze. It is said that if proper The Scopes trial initiated AP Biology. 3.3 million people were made The United Nations World protection is not provided, the the conflict that can rise when But many students believe it is homeless by the earthquake. Food Programme has stated that same number of people who education is overriden by faith; imperative for evolution to be the The area’s mountainous over 2.5 million people are in died from the quake could be the court favoring divine creation primary theory taught at Barstow. geography makes it difficult for need of emergency food. Both killed by the cold. The Pakistani forced many schools to revaluate “There is too much evidence relief to be administered, but U.N. workers and other aid opera- government has begged people their own policies. This impera- not to teach it, while there isn’t as relief organizations are trying tions say that they have received to come out of the highlands for tive case has led many schools much time to consider everyone’s to distribute blankets and tents less than a quarter of the money the winter to warmer areas, but to evaluate the conflict that can personal beliefs,” freshman Emily they are not sure if the requests arise when students are forced to McMeekin said. will be met. People do not want choose theory over personal faith. Leyva says that they encour- to leave their crops and animals The limits of evolution in the age students to draw their own or the area where they have been curriculum have been debated for conclusions from the theory in living for so long. years. But earlier this November, an attempt to please the diverse Organizations such as Unicef, the Kansas Board of Education student body. While intelligent the Red Cross, World Health passed a resolution allowing design is still discussed as a Organization, World Vision, and teachers to incorporate alternative theory in the classroom, students others except donations for the theories.