Featuring: Amanda Westfall, Ashley Schmidt, Kaitlyn Duthie, Ian Potter, Laurel Payne, Tess DeFlyer, and Victoria Cranwell

Editor: Kaitlyn Duthie, Katie Ebersole table. This was the typical situation for most people during the fall and spring, well, except that one group. The cross country runners. Us normal people despised them. They always strutted their short shorts and professional sneakers on this gym day. They enjoyed themselves a little too much on the day of the mile. They thought they were so cool while we stood there thinking they were idiots. Little did I know, I would soon become one of those idiots with the short shorts and the expensive sneakers. My idiocy began in August of my freshmen year. At that point, I was beginning to think maybe I was crazy. There was practice Monday through Saturday at nine am. Sure that does not sound too bad, if you played soccer or football. This though, this was hell. No longer did I take the mile in gym class harshly. I would give anything to run a mere mile. My running now consisted of a mile warm up and cool down, with a three to four mile run in between. After the second day, I knew there was something wrong with me. I thought to myself, “people don’t enjoy running this much” and “no one would ever enjoy this pain”. Yet I kept going back to Why do you run then? practice, day after day, adding mile after By: Amanda Westfall mile. By the middle of the season our intensity had doubled. I was tired, sore, and complained about all the running I I used to hate it, just like did. People would ask me, “Why do you everyone else did. The mile. The run then?” At first I did not have an dreaded mile. One gym class a year, answer. Sometimes I would say it was designed to test your ability to run (or something to do. Other times I would lack thereof). Once first period gym ran respond that it kept me in shape. it, everyone knew about it by the Finally, after the two-hundredth person following period and people began asked me this, I finally found the true frantically writing excuse notes with answer. I liked it. I had officially forged signatures. Whether it is the tired become one of those idiots and the funny aspect, getting sweaty, or the heat of the thing was I was happy about it. track, not one gym class enjoys it. The mile just seemed…so long. Lap after lap “Lap after lap on the track, the on the track, the word “mile” became word “mile” became almost like almost like a swear word. If you said it, a swear word.” you would not be spoken to at the lunch Before running, I had never been did not know what to do with myself; all so happy about doing something since I I wanted to do was run. During this time, started dancing. This surprised me the mile day in gym came. At the track, because dancing seemed so different people complained about having to run from running. Running was sweaty, the whole mile while I stood against the muddy, and unflattering while dancing fence complaining that I could not run was graceful, beautiful, and full of poise. that one mile. I would have done For many people, there is nothing anything to be running those four laps. beautiful about coming home from a From that point on, I worked hard at race covered in mud and sweat and in physical therapy and quickly recovered. pain. However, I thought it was. I had As soon as I was cleared, I began my come to love mud. Which I will admit is summer training for cross country. My weird, but coming home from a race life finally got its missing piece back. covered in mud made me happy. It Now my friends did not have to listen to showed I had worked hard and finished me complain and my family was free of the race strong. The more I ran, the more my moodiness. I was back to my happy I enjoyed it. I was beginning to go out place, running mile after mile. for runs to relieve all my stress or just It is funny how something you because. I was not running because I had once hated can become something you to anymore. I was running just for the cannot live without. I used to dread heck of it. The two things that make me running the mile in gym class. Now really happy about running are my there is nothing stopping me from racing Sunday runs and the races. There is three miles. I really have become one of nothing better than an eight mile run on those idiots my gym class refers to, but a great Sunday afternoon. It is perfect I'm okay with it. Sure they think we are (and yes that is something my gym class odd because we get excited when Nike would find crazy…eight miles). Running makes a new running shoe. We also have the races also brings out the best of me. enough race t-shirts to last us for over a Everything about them gives me a huge month, but that is who we are. Crazy burst of energy. Twenty minutes of full cross country runners. That is what I out running, exhaustion, guts, and mud love being. is pure bliss for me. There is hardly anything that can keep me from smiling Education…What’s That? after finishing a race. By: Ashley Schmidt Running found a way to put me in a good mood and I did not want that Since the age of four I have been to ever go away. Unfortunately though, told that something by the name of it did and I learned how much running “education” would lead me to a fulfilling meant to me. It was more than I ever career, which I had hoped would one day thought possible. During my sophomore be a job at Tops, possibly working as a year, I injured my knee and running had cashier. At the time, I had no idea what I to take a backseat in my life. The doctor was getting myself into. told me I could not run for two months, My first year of school, a place possibly longer if I needed surgery. I where I apparently got an “education,” was devastated. The thirty minute car was rather fun. Kindergarten is what ride home I spent crying. Running had they called it, and all we learned to do become a huge part of my life and now it was how to color (inside the lines, of was going to be missing for the next two course), count to ten, recite the alphabet, months. I entered a melancholy mood. I and interact with other children without screaming or biting. As my schooling taken years to finally realize. The reason went on, it got more and more difficult. for all of this schooling is success. Eventually, I was learning how to spell, Grades determine how successful add, subtract, multiply, divide, and the you will eventually be, and are given by geography and history of the world. the teachers to rank you and let you Sixth grade was the year that I began to know how well, or poorly, you are doing wonder what the point of all of this in a class. Personally, I believe that schooling was. Yes, I needed to know grades cause many problems in school. how to read, write, and do simple math, Students are constantly sharing grades but why did I need to know all about with each other, which often leads to one ancient Mesopotamia? Why must I know or more students feeling as if they have that some animals reproduce asexually? not amounted to enough. Do not get me I was perplexed by this, but I was only a wrong, I have been an ‘A’ student for as sixth grader, so what did I know? long as I can remember, but compared to others, that is nothing. In my current "Education's purpose is to algebra class, I can not break a ninety on replace an empty mind with an any of my tests. No matter how hard I open one." try, I just always make those stupid mistakes that could have been avoided ~Malcolm Forbes by just taking my time. Otherwise, I simply forget how to do one of the questions. Upon my arrival to high school, I soon learned that other students had “Yes, I needed to know these questions too. My fellow peers began asking teachers, “When will we how to read, write, and do ever use this?” This question was mainly simple math, but why did I need asked during math class. While learning to know all about ancient how to graph the equation y=2csc(x)-1, Mesopotamia?” multiple students shouted out “Why do I even need to know this? It’s not like I’ll Grades are meant to allow you to ever use it.” The teacher gave one of see how well you are doing in a class, those infamous responses, such as “Stop but all they really do is make you feel asking that!” or “You’ll see this on the like you are not doing well enough. Why Regents exam in June.” All of the is it that an eighty or above are the only students knew that this was just another numbers in the grading system that are way of saying that we will never use it considered “good”? Some students try as after we take the Regents, unless we hard as they possibly can and get at least decide to become a math teacher or a seventy, which I think is excellent. I some crazy mathematician. What do believe that if they are doing their best mathematicians do anyways? than that is all that matters. Colleges This question has stayed with may look at my grades as an East Aurora me, up until now. As I sit here, a junior High School student, and compare them at East Aurora High School, reminiscing to a student at, say, St. Mary’s…are we on all of the years of schooling that I actually taking classes that are among have completed and the many more that the same difficulty level, or even being have yet to come, I have reached a graded by the same person? Teachers realization. I feel as if I have discovered obviously have different ways of something ingenious, something that has grading, so there is no way that colleges, or anyone else, can compare the grades of students from two different schools and base decisions on them. So, my realization is this: if you want to succeed in life, you need to go along with the game. Learn about Mesopotamia and animals that produce asexually, because honestly, it does matter. It matters if you want to get into college and choose the career that you want to pursue. Just do what you are told When most of us think of a farm, and do not question it, because you will we imagine a place with a red barn, never be happy with the answer that you green pastures and chickens running get. around in the yard. Yet, the reality of most farms in the United States today is far from that image. Farming has become so industrialized and mechanized that many modern farms are Edible Politics like factories. The poultry industry is an By: Kaitlyn Duthie example of this change to factory farms. Food. It is the one substance that As depicted in many teachings on the no one can live with out. Food is a origins of food, chickens today are often common bond between people and other raised in huge metal buildings with no living organisms, such as animals and access to light or fresh air, confined plants. It connects people and brings together with thousands of birds in one people together all over the world. Food, building and made to grow so quickly which has once been so simple has that often their bones weaken and they become a complex, industrial business. lose their ability to walk. In this factory The food industries in present day farming model, a single corporation may America have become so big that they own or control all aspects of the chicken are one of the many powers in America production process, from animal rearing today that we find ourselves too and feed production to slaughter, vulnerable to handle it. They have packaging and distribution. Some altered the way we think of our food by corporations might also contract farmers pasting pictures of pastures on a carton in an arrangement where the corporation of milk and calling it farm fresh. They determines all aspects of raising the have kept a curtain over the factories, so animals, while the farmer is responsible you can not see their performance. Most for the capital expenditures, the waste importantly, they have been dishonest disposal and much of the risks involved with their buyers. However, everyone in the business. has a voice that can be heard. Almost The transition to factory farming once a week people vote for the food took place partly in response to our they want in the supermarkets. Politics society’s move to fast food. As people do exist not only in offices, but in came to expect food that was something as small as a tomato. inexpensive and unvarying in quality and taste, the food industry looked for ways to produce the food as efficiently and uniformly as possible. Unfortunately, while industrially produced food appears inexpensive, the feed. Field corn is also processed into a price we pay at the cash register does not wide array of foods, such as breakfast reflect the true cost. Factory farming cereals, salad dressings, margarines, creates a tremendous amount of water syrups and many other snacks found in a and air pollution, can be detrimental to local supermarket. Surprisingly, corn is public health and relies on government also found in unthinkable products, like subsidies. These and many other effects baby powder, glue, soap, alcohol, are all costs our society bears. medicine and fuel ethanol. In other Factory farming also clearly cases, a single meal can have more than affects the animals. In the factory farm, one corn based product. Take the iconic the animal is considered a unit of American meal of a cheeseburger, fries production rather than a living creature and a shake. One might not consider or and efficiency and earnings often even believe that it contains several corn outweigh animal health and welfare. Part based ingredients. All of which are the of this controversial problem is that meat patty (corn fed beef), the cheese people have differing view on how much (cornstarch), the bun (high fructose corn comfort and freedom farm animals syrup), ketchup (high fructose corn deserve. Some would say that to keep syrup and corn syrup), the fries (corn oil) food inexpensive, animals should be and the shake (corn syrup solids and raised in the most efficient and cost cellulose gum). Incredible! effective way possible. Others would Yes, corn is a vegetable and argue that animals should not suffer vegetables are good for the body, but needlessly and that they should have a having too much of a single food or certain level of cleanliness and space. additive, especially corn, can cause Ask anyone whether they eat serious health risks, such as obesity. Not corn and chances are they will agree that only does corn contain the worst fatty they have. They will picture the sweet, acid profile (Omega-6 to Omega-3 fresh corn on the cob that they enjoy in ratio), but it is also a fungal host to the summer. Needless to say, they have twenty two different fungi, including been consuming much more corn then in Aspergillus. Some of these fungi put out the summer, because it comes in many body debilitating mycotoxins that can other forms than on the cob. Many literally kill animals and people. This is people will be surprised to learn that why the United States Government tests corn is a major component of the corn for aflatoxin, one of the most modern American diet. Most of the corn deadly and highly carcinogenic toxins on Americans eat in present day comes not the planet. Many condemned corn from the cob, but by food ingredients supplies end up in animal feeds (not only and additives in processed foods and for livestock in feedlots, but family pets meat from corn fed livestock. too.) So why would people eat corn if it According to the National Corn obviously is not the healthiest choice? Growers Association, some farmers in Simple. It saves money for the big the United States plant about ninety companies, because it is cheap and easy million acres of corn each year, with less to grow. than one percent of it being the sweet With the cheeseburger symbolizing corn that Americans consume. The vast the all American meal, it is no surprise majority of field corn is grown for its that the United States is currently the high starch content and harvested when number one corn growing country in the the kernels are hard and dry. Field corn world, with more acres devoted to corn is the main ingredient in most livestock than any other crop. United States farm subsidies first began during the Great stored each year. When prices became Depression as a low, these crops, known as commodity crops could be taken off the market and stored until prices recovered.

Industrial Chicken Coup Recently, the federal government spends thirty five billion each year subsidizing commodity crops in a complicated system of subsidies. Over time, these subsidies have artificially lowered the prices of certain crops, like corn and soybeans, encouraging their overproduction and allowing them to be much cheaper than any other crops. As mentioned before, these subsidy crops are ingredients in many products and are consumed by both animals and humans. Fast food is so inexpensive, because of the heavy subsidizing and encouragement of farmers to grow more crops. Meanwhile over in the produce section, the head of broccoli costs more than a hamburger at a fast food chain. Why is that? The reason to this simple, yet complicated question is that we do very little to encourage farmers to grow what are called, specialty crops. Specialty crops are foods that are eaten just as they are grown, such as tomatoes. They are also not likely to be substituted into any food ingredients or have any different forms, like corn. The lowest cost options at the grocery store are often those made up of refined grains with added sugars and fats. The main reason these products are way to help farmers survive wide cheap is that they contain one or more fluctuation in crop prices. The idea was subsidized ingredients. One of these to give farmers a guaranteed minimum ingredients that can be found on many price for certain crops that could be processed foods in kitchen cupboards and refrigerators is high fructose corn work in meat factories and required to syrup. have some type of training or special This proliferation of cheap and skills to handle meat. Unlike today, by unhealthy food has had the greatest using machines and other techniques, impact on low income families, who companies are able to employ unskilled, spend a larger percentage of their low was laborers for many tasks, which earnings on food. With those who live help to reduce the companies cost. on tight budgets, the price difference However, the risk of both accidents and between fresh fruits and vegetables and meat contamination are high when so food with subsidized ingredients forces many animals are processed and workers them to consume more processed foods must work at high speed. than they might chose to. An unfortunate At the turn of the nineteenth result is that income is now the most century, the meat industry was accurate predictor of obesity and Type unregulated, which meant little to no Two diabetes. protection for workers or consumers Income, diet, obesity and Type from unsafe or unscrupulous Two diabetes are all linked and share a meatpacking practices. After Upton common bond in which our country’s Sinclair’s book, The Jungle was farm subsidy system plays a part. Some published worker conditions began to may say that food choices fall under the slowly improve through antitrust laws, dominion of personal responsibility. labor unions and tighter regulations. By According to this view, what we buy and the 1950s, meatpacking plants offered eat is a choice and individuals should be skilled jobs at a good wage. responsible for making healthier food The meat industry has most choices. Although in an unsettled certainly undergone a lot of change since economy that has sudden tugs and tears the 1890s, but somewhere in time when on peoples’ wallets, not everyone can society began to modernize, the afford the high price of eating healthy. meatpacking industry reached its peak Those who oppose the first argument and stopped trying to keep up with the would demand that healthy food choices health standards. This argument is should be available to everyone and not especially accountable to the fast food just those with money in their pockets. industry when they began to demand Another controversial topic that more meat at cheaper prices. has been known to stir up the most In order to cut cost, meat arguments between industry and the packing companies lowered wages, sped common person is the meatpacking up the production of meat and had industry. Meatpacking is the wholesale workers perform the same task packaging of meat, which includes repeatedly to increase efficiency. slaughtering, gutting, skinning, butchering and further procession of animals, such as cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys and sheep. Most of the meat packing today is done in large scale slaughter houses that are mechanized for fast and efficient processing. Smithfield, a well known brand of meat, processes thirty two thousand hogs a day or two thousand hogs per hour. It used to be that people were highly recognized to should have access to plenty of inexpensive food and it is designed to produce, process and distribute enormous quantities of food as cheaply as possible. One reason for this focus on abundance is our history of famines. As recently as World War II, global food shortages cost millions of civilian lives and American farmers were pushed to produce as much food as possible as part of the war effort. Since then, farmers have continued to maintain high levels of production, using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other technologies to maximize yield. It is very agreeable that cheap and abundant food is a worthy goal, especially when it prevents world famine. However, when one goes further inside the situation, by focusing on cost and abundance, our society may be trading off safety, health, environmental quality and other values for promoting large, profit oriented corporations. One ideal situation that society has trades off is the good, old fashioned, family farm. While prices for commodity crops, like corn and soybeans have remained constant, costs for fuel, seed, fertilizer and everything else a farmer needs to yield a crop have tremendously risen in prices with inflation. Farms today take large quantities of capital to run and those big industrial farms wipe our many small As the industries grown larger, they farms or transform them into agricultural moved from big cities to rural businesses. As a result, the numbers of communities so they were able to raise a farms (meaning the old fashioned farms) huge number of animals. In addition, the in the United States has dropped companies became more consolidated, enormously. where in present day about five If it is still un believable how big companies control over eighty three the industrial farms are and how much percent of the beef packing market and power they have then one might be sixty six percent of the pork packing surprised to find that the big food market. So really, the meat packing industries influence laws and regulations companies did modernize with society, to protect their earnings. It presents food but only in aspects that are beneficial to libel laws, food labeling laws and patent themselves, not the consumer’s health. laws as specific examples. Our modern food system is Food libel laws, also known as largely based on the idea that people food disparagement laws, have been passed in thirteen states and make it objective when they know people in the illegal to disseminate misinformation industry. So, all along there have been about food. They also make it easier for actual politicians working in both the food companies to sue critics. In 1999, food industry and running for office! Oprah Winfrey was famously sued by This is no surprise. Texas beef producers for questioning the safety of hamburger meat. If someone as “Farms today take large famous and powerful as Oprah can be quantities of capital to run and sued by these big industries just imagine those big industrial farms wipe how much power they really have! Food labeling laws mandate that our many small farms….” certain information be printed on a product’s label, such as a listing of Many food critics have described ingredient, nutrition data and allergy the food industry as intentionally information. One new labeling law went drawing a “veil” to keep people in the into effect in March 2009, requiring dark about their food and how it is most fresh meats and some other foods produced. Some would argue that to list where they originated. The food keeping certain information from industry tends to fight these laws as consumers is necessary for the smooth burdensome and as giving the functioning of our food system, which is impression of a problem. It can so vital to all of us. They might say that definitely cause one to think what food companies should be able to guard companies are hiding or what they are valuable trade secrets, minimize not sharing with society. unnecessary fear in consumers, which Another law which has been could create panic and keep costs down passed in 2004 is the Cheeseburger Law. by blocking frivolous lawsuits. This law, formerly called, the Personal However, other would argue that the Responsibility in Food Consumption “veil” does more than protect the food Act, makes it illegal to sue food system; it protects companies at the companies for obesity and other health expense of consumers. Those who agree effects of eating junk foods. Touted as with this statement might believe that preventing frivolous lawsuits against the short term profit is valued over health, industry, the law also enables food safety and the environment, which are companies to avoid revealing possibly necessary for a sustainable food system. derogatory evidence about their It is easy to feel overwhelmed by practices. the enormity of issued raised by our One of the issues of regulation current food system. The manner in pointed out by studies is that regulatory which our food is produced and agencies and the industry often hire marketed affects not only our personal employees from the same pool. Since health, but the health of our society and government regulators need people our planet as well. Since food is knowledgeable about the industry, they something people consume at least three may hire former industry executives and times a day, every day, personal since the industry needs people behaviors and choices can have an knowledgeable about regulation, they impact on the food system through a may hire former regulators. Reasonable multiplicative effect. Actions that can be and impartial regulation is possible done that make an impact is buying from under these circumstances, but it can be companies that treat workers, animals challenging for regulators to remain and the environment with respect. At the supermarket, choose foods that are in sense of relief. As my classmate agreed season, buy foods that are organic and with me, she looked happier too. know what is actually in food by reading What was this repulsive monster labels. The average meal travels one inside me, waiting to be let out? It thousand five hundred miles from the blazed in me until I let it go out through farm to the supermarket. Buy foods that my mouth. are grown at your local farmers’ markets Later on I watched a helpful or plant a garden. Cook a meal with your movie that answered my question. Star family and eat together. Everyone has a Wars. “Fear is the path to the dark side. right to healthy food, make sure your Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. local farmers’ market takes food stamps. Hate leads to suffering,” said Yoda. Ask the local school board to provide Why is fear so evil? Are we not healthy school lunches for students and harmless when we are scared? Then I teachers. The FDA and USDA are realized: the green monster burning suppose to protect individuals and inside me was fear. Fear of not being as families, so tell Congress to enforce food liked or accepted as another person is safety standards and maybe re introduce what the green monster is set off by; or, old laws that failed to be passed. in another word, jealousy. Nothing is ever too small to not make a I did not believe it at first. Why difference and you can even change the would we make fun of or be cruel to the world with every bite. Anyone can vote people we are jealous or threatened by? to change this system. Three times a day. Wouldn’t we be making fun of the people we would never desire to be? The Green Monster Then I examined the easiest targets of By: Emma Holbrook the green monster.

“She is so annoying and “I felt ridiculously obnoxious,” I whispered in my friend’s uncomfortable and before I ear while the girl I glared at walked confidently into the classroom talking knew it, once again I was loudly. What was this feeling in me of whispering to a friend an insult.” pain and burning waiting to spill out? My friend nodded in agreement when I Bullies. They are constantly whispered this cruel and dangerous scared of how they are viewed by other insult to her. My eyes, full of people and if they will be accepted by resentment, both followed the girl. Why their so-called “friends”. Thus they did it feel so relieving to criticize her? persistently need to put others down to Later that day, the boy in front of make themselves feel superior. me got an A+ on his paper when I, on Now I know that when you read the other hand, got a B. He talked to his this, you may think, “I do not do that,” friend excitedly about his achievement, or “I am not that insecure,” but think happily waving his paper in front of his again. Think of a person you resent or friend. Then I felt the same burning make fun of. Is it really their annoyances overcome me just like before. What was or actions that urge you to resent them? wrong with me? I felt ridiculously Or are you really just jealous of their uncomfortable and before I knew it, confidence or character? Or are you once again I was whispering to a friend scared that they will be liked by society an insult. This time it was, “He brags so better than you if you do not do anything much.” And once again I felt that same to put them down? Or are you ridiculing 1) Recognize the times when them to allow yourself to fit in? your green monster tries to Now, really think! come out (WARNING: He Think again… may be impossible to get rid Think harder… of, but it is possible to stop That is it. him from controlling your Do not worry. I felt the same way mouth.) too: surprised, horrified, guilty…but it is 2) Try to control the fire from only human. So, I decided to try to go a the monster that burns inside whole day without letting this green of you by thinking of traits monster sneak out of my mouth. you like about yourself However, holding back was more (Don’t be absurd, a fire difficult than I realized…. extinguisher does not work. In a musical I participated in, Neither does drinking lots of when I watched the star of the show take water.) Hold that monster the stage with their chin up in the air, back and cool down the glowing with poise. In school, when a dangerous fire. nerdy classmate was answering every 3) (This step is the most single question the teacher asked. In a difficult) Think of the event soccer game, when the girl who scored a or person that caused your goal boldly danced around, high-fiving green monster to come out all of her teammates. and instead of putting the The envy, hate, and jealousy burned person down, consider within me, and the horrible green congratulating that person on monster was looking everywhere for the trait that made you some sort of release. It wants to find jealous. some sort of fault or insult to allow the These steps take a long time to owner of the monster to feel confident. go through easily. I myself am still at the When I would not let my monster beginner’s level, but having pure outside my mouth, I was feeling terrible, confidence that has nothing to do with moody, and insecure. However, it was the people around you is worth then and there when I realized that the achieving. Others may criticize or make green monster is just the short cut out of fun of you for this self-assurance you having confidence. It appears that hardly develop, but maybe their green monsters any master of the green monster is ever are firing them up with fear or jealousy. actually confident, or else they would It is only natural and human to be not have the monster. jealous, but your reaction to jealousy True confidence comes from within and determines how strong they really are. sometimes, it can take an entire lifetime Bullies are the weakest. These bullies to achieve. It comes from a person being range from ordinary bullies in school to happy with them self; not from needing racists. They can not stand to be the to hear they are better than someone else minority in other peoples’ minds, so they or from ridiculing their opponents. I are highly prejudiced against a minority myself am still trying to achieve this group or single person of their choice. confidence, but it is a more difficult Fortunately, it is never too late to gain challenge than I could have ever the strength needed to control the green imagined. monster. Therefore, I invite you to join There are many steps one must take first: me in this challenge of gaining that strength that will offer you happiness and confidence for the rest of your life. “The reason one writes isn't the Next time you are about to belittle fact he wants to say something. someone remember that your green He writes because he has monster is probably the cause of it and only you have the power to control it. something to say.” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald I love words. There is something I Don’t Want to Write…I Want unbelievably satisfying about these little to Write about Writing squiggly shapes, how they actually mean By: Ian Potter something. They are just lines on paper, for blank’s sake, but these are our This is, I must confess, how I thoughts. We talk to ourselves in our start all my essays. There is something heads, we think in words. We humans uniquely thrilling about a plain sheet of simply can not conceive existence paper (virtual or otherwise), some without language. Without some way to feeling that yes, I could theoretically express our thoughts, without some way write (or indeed type, although ‘type’ to think those thoughts ourselves, where lacks a certain drama or panache) would we be? Can you imagine life absolutely anything I should so wish. without language? I think in English. I Reason, as it is wont to do, quickly have conversations, very one-sided, but impinges, and I always find myself conversations regardless, which I can consigning a paragraph or two of only assume is my brain. I ask myself existential musings to electronic things, I try out sentences before oblivion, sighing deeply, and coughing opening my mouth (a risky thing under up something soulless about literary the best of circumstances), I argue back devices or practical foreign policy. It is and forth. All of this can be written tragic, really. I do not want to write. I down. I could even make a transcript want to write about writing. assuming I had some way of typing as Well, technically that is not true. fast as I think. Language is how I think. It is far from my sole aim in life. Were it Without it? I quite literally can not anywhere near as important as I just imagine. I can not properly think about made it sound, I am sure I would find not being able to think. some way to do it on my own time. It is But I digress. just that, to write is to think about not Words are a fantastic thing. I am only what you’re writing about, but what an unabashed word-lover. Hardly you’re writing- the words themselves, anything compares with the beauty of a how they sound, how they feel, and I, for well-crafted sentence. Words which, by one, can not help but be fascinated. themselves, are mere snippets of Given enough time alone with words, I information or emotion joined, nay, can’t make myself care nearly as much arranged in such a way as to be readily about any given topic as I do about the understood. There is balance, a certain words themselves. Using words to feel or heft. Imagine those sets of discuss how the use of words makes one kitchen knives one sees sold on contemplate words is, I find, a television. The right word in the right wonderfully satisfying paradox. place and that in its self is beautiful, if only because there are ever so many words, far too many for the reasonable mind boggles. There is just so much to language, such beauty and complexity. It is so unbelievably mundane that, to someone who amuses themselves searching for truth and beauty in the boring everyday, it is completely overwhelming. Take, for example, that last sentence. The word ‘unbelievably’ completely changes the tone, gives everything a sense of wonderment and genuine excitement. It turns a dry, art- critic phrase into something that, to me at least, feels real, feels like something I have said to myself in my head. It is

beyond belief; I am unable to believe it. Incredibly, extraordinarily, exceptionally. These fit in wonderfully with all that slightly stilted beauty-and- complexity nonsense. They are beige. You could carpet your floor with these, safe in the knowledge that it would not draw attention away from your new wainscoting. In this particular instance, they are bloodless and vaguely academic, but all this is completely subjective. It is only the strange way that the tone of this piece, of this particular paragraph, of my own particular voice and style, that all those interact that make them null, void, and tasteless.

“The right word in the right place and that in its self is beautiful…”

Or, all words aside, consider the common comma. Counting this mind to catalogue, and the feeling of sentence, I have used seventy-one finding one that means exactly what you commas in two and a half pages. I in want, connotation and denotation and other words, for every twenty or so everything, from amidst a sea of characters, I have seen fit to add a synonyms, homophones, homonyms, comma. Either the comma is what have you. It is just so satisfying. indispensable or I am an addict, and I am All this, and nothing said about inclined to take something of a middle grammar, or punctuation, or structure or view. I confess freely that I love the word order or paragraphs or inflection comma perhaps more than I ought to. In or, indeed, anything but words. The my mind, it gives such a natural flow to writing. The comma is one of those select few punctuation marks that can be Or I suppose you could write a used with absolute discretion, or indeed proper ending yourself. Not to put you not at all. It partitions thoughts without to the trouble or anything. It is just a separating them wholly, a middle ground suggestion. between a run-on and a full stop. It brackets, clauses and asides beautifully; it clearly marks the formal or A New Life for Paper conversational phrases that, much like By: Laural Payne this one, do not strictly contribute to the sentence’s meaning. The comma’s The paper industry is being purpose for the most part, is purely slowly impaled and bleeding its inky decorative. The comma supplies rhythm, heart out all over the internet. Mail used standing in for those slight pauses and to be the way to communicate long changes in tone so natural to human distance, but then e-mails replaced them. speech. And, if nothing else, a comma is Now e-mails are just used for business beautiful. It is so common and and mail is used for very serious understated that it is often reduced to a business (and holiday cards, of course.) tiny backslash, but look at the comma Newspaper’s sprawling, wrinkled properly. It is clearly the brother of the colorless pages are being replaced by period, or at least a first cousin, but the smaller, younger, more attractive tidbits two aren’t quite on the best of terms. It of information we collect. Books are sports that peculiar tail; hardly practical, having their contents dissected, even a bit flamboyant. It is not nearly as simplified, and pinned up on the internet utilitarian and businesslike, it sacrifices where people can see their vital organs authority for aesthetics. My god, I and anatomy. Schools are using blogs sound like Patrick Bateman on a and online assignments, textbooks come grammar binge or something. with CDs containing all their pages, and And yet I feel like I have hardly essays can be scratched the surface. Language is such e-mailed. a fantastic thing, but it has it has limits, and right now they are the only thing “There is one part of my coming between me and my desire to existence that lets me consume explain to gentle readers, like yourself, the dying paper industry and why I have gone to the trouble to write spit it back out with a stamp my you this lovely essay about, of all things, language. To be completely honest, I do brain put on it.” not know myself. And I would love to Maybe this is a good thing. end on a joke, or at least some Maybe we can save trees, and then save philosophical high note that will be the environment, and all be heroes. Even enough to make you feel like you have though I feel guilty saying this, I hope done something worthwhile with the paper does not die out completely. There time you have just spent reading (time is one part of my existence that lets me that might well have been devoted to any consume the dying paper industry and number of highly respectable pursuits, spit it back out with a stamp my brain including skydiving and the culinary put on it. I like to think I can create a arts), but I am afraid that if you want new idea, a new spirit out of those old anything of the sort, you are going to news stories and letters and gift have to pretend it is here, ideally in the wrappings and school papers, or use the place of this particular sentence. idea they already contained to enhance something I have made. In this way, dedicated to the use of paper, which is both ideas and paper can be recycled. somewhat ironic. I have always wanted a pet unicorn, but unfortunately I have never “My aim is to put gotten one, they seem to be very shy. down on paper what I Fortunately, in the meantime, there is a simple solution to fill the void. Sitting in see and what I feel in my basement, covered in a floury pasty the best and simplest mess with tape stuck on my hands for way.” ready use and surrounded by various ~Ernest Hemingway unicorn shaped parts waiting to be tied together, I am the Doctor Frankenstein In all of these paper wonders, let of mythical creatures. Some tape, some us not forget the old pen and pencil on gloop, and most important, a ton of paper. Using markers, crayons and newspapers. Once my creation is all charcoal. Creating manuscripts with dried, give it a skin of paint and some illuminated letters, illustrations and hair from old blue tissue paper that came calligraphy. Imitations of these can be in a Christmas gift, and of course, name made on a computer, but they some how it Sir Tiddley Winkle. But why stop lose the effect that a regular piece of there? Why not make a pocket dog out paper and pen have. They lose the smell of fashion magazines, or an octopus of the paper, the texture and the tiny from national geographic and nature details that a hand makes. The fact that magazines? somewhere in the world, there is an Once a tree is paper, it can not be original copy made by a person is a tree again without decomposing and overwhelming. And I am not talking being absorbed by a tree. Or can it? I about a copy that consists of a document made paper imitations of plants before, blazing itself into a view’s eyeballs with but one day I did something that shocked its electric glow, copied and pasted and me. I created the base for a paper mache printed over and over. When an original, tree out of newspaper. I was making a made on paper work is scanned and new, imitation tree out of dead trees. I copied and dissected, it loses something, am not sure how I feel about that, but I it is turned into a document. When a definitely appreciate the irony. computer creation is copied and pasted Paper is not just for ornaments. I and reprinted, it has nothing to lose, it have a little shelf I made to keep my was always a document. The ideas and dead iPod on, as a memorial to its long, essence of the person creating something faithful service. I have origami boxes I digitally is still there, but the endless hold jewelry in, and an origami vase to supply of options they had for hold pencils instead of flowers. I have expressing every detail of their message even seen a table made of paper mache. is not. You can not make a Sir Tiddley Although, I am not quite that daring. Winkle out of a computer. So do not be There are the masters of paper creations so prepared to rid the world of paper and out there, who can bend it to their will make the world a digital place when the and create almost anything imaginable. simple medium of paper still has so There are paper screens, paper walls, much to give us. paper birds, paper lanterns and much more. It has been said that a thousand cranes are supposed to grant their folder a wish. There are even websites out there The Mysteries of a Woman’s practicality differs from woman to Mind woman). As I pondered this further I By: Tess DeFlyer suddenly recalled the millions of other women who carry their whole lives in Stuff. The best definition to that their bags. word for the purposes of this essay would be belongings, or simply the extra things we carry around on a daily basis. Not to be stereotypical but I think it is safe to say that women carry around more extra stuff than men. Not only do they carry around more, but they even have more than one bag to hold everything. At the moment I can think or at least… seventy nine other girls, also high school teenagers, who carry around more than one bag in school. Ever since I can remember, One day when I walking through whenever my family went in the car for the halls in between periods, thinking of more than half an hour, my sister would nothing in particular (as usual), I noticed bring almost ten bags full of random another girl walked by me carrying her stuff that she would probably forget she school bag as well as a purse. That is even packed. It used to drive me crazy, when I first asked myself: why? Right because her things would always take up away the most obvious reason surfaced, an entire extra seat (which she had to she simply could not fit it all into one share with me). My mother always used bag. At first this simple explanation to tease her by asking; “Why did you seemed reasonable and legitimate. bring your whole room with you?” To However, I immediately thought, why this day, I still can not understand it. not just get a bigger bag? Honestly, it seems as though she thought Once this question materialized my our house was going to burn down in a mind erupted with more questions than blazing fire and she would lose answers in my attempt to uncover the everything, unless she brought it all with real reason why teenage girls feel the her. It could be for that reason or she need to carry around more than one bag. was just very easily bored. Then there Being a teenage girl myself, you would are the women who carry the most think this strange concept of excess random and obscure items in their purse baggage would be understood. However, (those are the women who are prepared it remained a mystery to me. So that is for anything). when a second reason developed. Imagine this, you are sitting on the Organization. It is most common for subway on your way to work when you women to organize their belongings say quietly to yourself, “Oh my according to value. Their more valuable goodness, somehow I managed to forget belongings, such as their iPod, cell my coffee! However will I survive the phone, make-up, glasses, etc. go into rest of my day without it?” Suddenly, the their purse. Their less valuable items, woman sitting across the aisle pulls from such as books and school supplies go her purse a coffee mug along with two into their shoulder bag or backpack. This large packs of coffee and considerately explanation makes the most sense, asks you, “Do you prefer dark roast or though unpractical (truly, this theory of French vanilla?” Some women really like to prepare themselves for any kind of situation they might encounter during the course of the day. Although it is a bit excessive, it is an admirable skill, because who hasn’t had those days when you are ill equipped for a certain pressing situation, like forgetting your coffee? Now to piece together everything that has been said, the best way to describe the relationship between a woman and her purse is by thinking of a purse as a woman’s best friend. Think about it, a purse always has what you A Passport to a Brighter Future need, it does not disagree or talk back, By: Victoria Cranwell and it is amazing at keeping secrets. The main existence of a purse is to cater to We all have the same thoughts the needs of its possessor. Most women when we look up at our dads, walking would admit to feeling naked and out the door dressed in a suave suit and a incomplete without their purse. They briefcase, while thinking, “Wow, I can feel as though they are missing a part of not wait to get a job and own a bank them, as though they are missing a card, so I too can get free money from friend. A purse is a part of being to some that ‘hole in the wall” whenever I need women. Not only does it carry their pocket money. I will then be able to buy essentials, but its appearance and style is myself all the toys I want!” He comes a representation of a woman’s home for lunch, but I have to sit in a personality. There are all kinds of crowded cafeteria eating a sandwich that purses; trendy purses, oversized purses, was squashed in my backpack and simple, yet practical purses, and so much drinking warm milk with all my first more! Sometimes a purse says more grade friends. He has a fancy new cell about a woman than she can say for phone which he must use to play that herself. Purses are a way to express your snake game, because that is the only creative side when your personality or interesting thing I could find whenever I clothes do not. played with it. Having a job must be so Purses are much more than just a cool. You get to drive your own car to means of carrying around your personal work, tell other people what they need to items. They have the power to be your do to make your life easier as you sit in best friend, a way of expression and a your nice big office enjoying the fruits home outside of home. A purse is a of your rewards and watching the money security blanket, always protecting you roll in. and providing for you, unless you get My Dad brought me into his mugged, then you are simply out of office one Saturday, and I wondered money and out of luck. around the floor exploring each corner and crevice as he made some “important business calls”. I found an adjoining room with a huge shiny wooden table surrounded with high back matching chairs. Screaming out to be eaten was a tray filled with an array of shiny, sticky doughnuts, assorted muffins and reminisce about the impertinent, rude scrumptious fruit, accompanied with a customers as I come to terms realizing variety of canned fruit juices. I even that whatever I do to impress the found a glass bowl full of sugar sachets, manager, it will not be enough to earn so I quickly stuffed a handful of them in the respect like the respect that my father my pocket for later. I went back into my portrays. fathers’ whiteboard in his office and I walk into my cozy, kitchen played with the traffic light colored welcomed by my parents and to a dinner markers that were neatly lined up like that is warmly inviting, along with three train carriages at a station that were just cups of steaming tea, which eventually signaling to be taken for a ride. I erased leads me to join in on our night time all the boring looking numbers (which I gathering. My father began the found out later to be important physics conversation. “Rough day at work?” equations needed for the engine However, I did not want to talk about it modification of a Boeing 747). I sat and have to re-live the drudgery of the snuggly in his gigantic black arm chair evening all over again. As he which swallowed my tiny frame, endearingly calls me by my pet name, he thinking, “This is the life”. My desire to says, “Princess, it is a minimum wage work had never been so great. paid job. People will disrespect you, as they have no source of authority of their own. Do not take it personally. It is just another life lesson.” Then, he continued to tell me about his job many years ago at the McDonalds in London. Every time he mentions how he had to work hard to pay for a higher college degree. I listened intently, intrigued that even though it was so long ago, I could relate to it so well. He then explained about Boeing 747 how important it is to have an education as it is the only tool vital for success in Ten years later I am on my hands the workforce today. and knees scrubbing the floor with a I had heard it all before, at least a metal brush. The bartender makes an thousand times. The importance of a inappropriate comment, but I choose to good education, but in the past I always ignore him, knowing it would only lead only listed half-heartedly, because I was to my boss telling me that I should stop bored with the “broken record”. messing around if I want to keep my job. However, from this night onwards I tell The whole floor is at last spotless until my mother that I will do my homework the cook walks past and accidentally early. The Sims 2 will get me nowhere drops a tub of salsa all over my laborious in life, but doing my homework will masterpiece. “Oh, sorry,” was his only provide me with an educational passport comment and proceeded to hand me a to a brighter future. I learned a life mop to clean up his mess. I look down at lesson from this experience. Having my cracked prematurely aged hands and experienced working full time in a job feel the tears welling up in my eyes. The that required no formal education had glorified job I had once always wanted made me realize the full extent of the leaves me feeling forlorn, degraded and importance in striving for the best upset. As I drive home in the dark, I education possible. That night my thoughts were that school might sometimes be a little mundane and tedious, but I am prepared to live with the highs and lows, rather than put up with a dead end job for the rest of my life. “The bartender makes an inappropriate comment, but I choose to ignore him…”

My standpoint on the value of education has given me a better perspective of life than I ever thought I could acquire at the age of just sixteen. I watch fellow classmates fall into the temporary excitement of owning a car, feeling independent and witness some students carelessly talk about choosing to drop out of school altogether, and it pains me to think about the consequences of their actions. I want to grow up with the self-approval that I deserve everything that I have achieved in life. I promise myself that I will study extra hard for that physics test tomorrow, because I know that the end result could take me on a journey where I may write on my whiteboard a complex formula for a physics equation on how to improve the performance of an engine for a Boeing 747.