Fall play begins rehearsals Pirates have yet another disappointing season Women lead at the democratic national convention THE FRONT PAGE / FEATURES / PAGE 5 PIRATES / SPORTS / PAGE 7 DEMOCRATIC WOMEN / NEWS / PAGE 4 TheThe StSt.. ClairionClairion Volume 10, Issue 1 - October 2008 - Upper St. Clair High School Pittsburgh, PA 15241 All the news that fits...And then some! Crisis on Wall Street By: Laura Fairgrieve smoking wreckage of a stock-mar- nitude. Truly, the state of the mort- Guest Writer ket, banks, and the federal deposit gage companies is in the worst dis- insurance fund pile up was dealt array in recent memory. As an ana- A noteworthy observation of the with through the efforts of Henry lyst leaving his office on Wall nation’s current financial predica- Paulson, Ben Bernanke, and Street with a box, ominously put it ment became blatantly obvious Timothy Geithner. The Secretary “It’s over.” recently, as the bold type embla- of the Treasury, Chairman of the With the stock market at its low- zoned across the cover of TIME Federal Reserve, and President of est (the Dow plunged over 400 magazine depicted; “How Wall the Federal Reserve Bank of New points on September 17), and the Street Sold Out America”. Crisis York proposed to Congress that a economy in the state of what Alan erupted on the famed New York massive bailout of roughly 700 bil- Greenspan refers to as a “once in a City center of American busi- lifetime” crisis, the common ness when Lehman Brothers question regards what will be went completely bankrupt, done next in response. The Merrill Lynch was sold off to bailout bill is being pushed for Bank of America, and AIG des- by Paulson, Bernanke, and perately applied for federal Geithner, but at the end of all loans. The failure of these finan- things, Congress has the decid- cial giants, previously soaring ing say. The American public with a steady influx of capital, can only react by avoiding bor- has stirred the waters of turmoil rowing money whenever possi- in the American stock market ble. However, while the federal and financial system. government stocks up loans Employees face the looming from other countries, and tries to possibility of mass job losses, nurse the staggering economy Steelers get grades after off week and Lehman Brothers is poised back to its former strength, the on the brink of liquidation. every-day consumer can be By: Dallion L. Townsend season (www.nfl.com). The The horrific meltdown finds reassured that intervention is up Opinions Editor Steelers have yeild to no running its roots in the rapid decline in to Congress now; whether to thus far and have not allowed a housing prices over the past bailout out the irresponsible Nearing the halfway point in 100-yard game by any of the six year, as well as the heavy losses on lion doll ars be enacted to buy out companies for the betterment of this NFL season, the Steelers have premier runners they have faced in housing loans. Credit eventually the assets. A few months ago, the economy, or to watch their mis- grinded it out at times, and flatout the first five games of the season. dried up, fearful and wary banks Congress bailed out endangered takes catch up with them. At this dominated their opponents at oth- Grade: A- cautiously refused to lend money lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie point in American economics, it is ers. Their only loss came against Special Teams: After a miser- to each other, and large companies Mac, which leaves Congress easiest to agree with TIME maga- cross-state rival Philadelphia put- able showing last year, the kick could not raise cash on overnight reluctant to hasten into another zine’s comment that “America’s ting them at a solid 5-1 record. But coverage has been solid thus far. commercial-paper markets. The bailout, especially one of this mag- number 1 export is debt.” this is how the Steelers have fared At this point last season, the outside of just the record. Steelers gave up one kickoff Offense: The offensive line is return touchdown and seven run Early morning fire heats up a weekday for Upper St. Clair students still practically offering Ben backs of over 50 yards with an Roethlisberger as a human sacri- average starting spot of the 37.8 face to the opposing defenses as yard line. This year, however is a By: JP Gooderham school’s decision: “At that gazette.com). they have allowed well over 120 different story. No touchdowns Editor-in-Chief point, we didn’t know what the Though the fire was success- sacks since the start of the 2006 allowed, no kick returns over 45 extent was going to be, fully extinguished, the impact season. However, the Steelers are yards, and an average starting While Upper St. Clair High plus we had smoke in the build- of the incident was felt the fol- still a strong team offensively field position of 23.6 yards School students prepared for ing” (www.post-gazette.com). lowing day when students since Willie Parker is back from (www.sports.yahoo.com). another grueling day of school, returned to their classes. Senior injury and the Steelers have However, the return game is not many received an automated Amy Twerdok attests to being brought in Najeh Davenport to fill exactly explosive. But the Steelers notification informing them that “shocked and surprised after in for the injured Rashard haven’t had a game-changing classes were cancelled due to an returning to school.” She also Mendenhall. As long as the return man since Antwaan Randle emergency. As numerous morn- remembers the remaining smell Steelers can give Big Ben at least El. The kicking game is still con- ing news shows explained, a as being “somewhat annoying three seconds to throw, the sistent, thanks in large part to Jeff small kiln fire had broken out and bothersome while traveling Steelers are still going to be a team Reed who has the highest kicking only hours before the school the hallways.” that can cause some damage, percentage since 2006 with a day would have begun. Naturally, the unexpected which we saw when he lit up 93.7% and missing only one kick Subsequently, students were absence of classes brightened Jacksonville’s defense for over inside the 40 yard line in that time surprised to receive an unex- the day of many members of the 300 yards and three touchdown span (www.stats.com). Punter pected day off. student body. Senior Christine passes. Grade: B Daniel Spedulveda is out for the “Firefighters were called to Prorok believes that “the fire Defense:Troy Polamalu is back, season, and the Steelers called the school about 5:30 a.m. for a definitely had an impact. I had a James Harrison is proving that last upon veteran Mitch Berger to fill report of smoke coming from lot of time to focus on my col- year was no fluke, and LaMaar the void whose yardage per punt is the roof, Upper St. Clair police He also explained that the lege applications, and a lot of Woodley is leaving people asking a mere shadow of the production Deputy Chief Douglas “kiln had been shut off around 9 people I know had the opportu- themselves “Clark Haggans of Spedulveda. Grade: B+ Burkholder said” (www.pitts- p.m. but apparently smoul- nity to get together during the who?” The Steelers defense final- The Steelers need to keep their burghlive.com). While firefight- dered” (www.post- day.” ly found a way to contain the run- star quarterback in one piece in ers sought to extinguish the gazette.com). Consequently, While students may have ning back tandem of Fred Taylor order to continue their success. small fire in the art room, the “there was damage to the observed a crew working on the and Maurice-Jones Drew on Willie Parker, Casey Hampton, school district simultaneously exhaust sleeves and part of the affected portion of the school, Sunday Night Football as the and Brett Kiesel are aiming to decided to cancel classes for the roof that was torn out to put the the damage was fortunately lim- Steelers allowed only 39 yards of come back for the Week 7 tilt day. fire out […] [and] there also ited to the building only with no rushing against a team that pound- against the Bengals, and this gives Upper St. Clair superinten- was water damage in the art injuries reported as a result of ed the Steelers for over 200 yards Roethlisberger time to patch him- dent Patrick O’ Toole explained classroom and some smoke in the fire (www.thepitts- last year. The Steelers, as usual, self up after being sacked 19 times the reasoning behind the the building” (www.post- burghchannel.com). are in the top five in defense this in the first five games. Page 2 Opinions October 2008 Panther Desk of the Editor Politicians abandon ethics while trying to appeal to voters Predilections By: JP Gooderham his connection to the radical reli- “palling around” with Ayers does ulous to the common voter. Editor-in-Chief gious leader, Reverend Wright, a not seem like an accurate portrayal As Americans face the greatest What was your favorite controversy involving connections of their relationship. economic crisis in decades while Election season has always to terrorists could possibly be the With several weeks left in the race thousands of jobs are lost and homes part of summer break? marked the return of aggressive “game-changer” McCain needed. and no clear strategy to catch are taken away through foreclosure, commercials and shady campaign Obama, the truth has become flexi- the fundamental economic advoca- strategies, especially in states ble for McCain’s campaign.