What’s Inside:

10 Fall Sports Finish Strong

12 A Backstage Pass

5 Poker: an Idiot’s Guide

Education Evolves

3

Photo by Chris Neal

The Barstow School Student News SourceVolume XLIX, Issue III December 9, 2005

B-Line

Light Up the HolidaysCelebrations, Creative Gift Ideas, &Barstow Holiday Memories pg. 6-7

Dec. 9, 2005

B-LINEOPINION

The B-LineThe B-Line strives to be a thoughtful and clear voice for

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 welcome. We reserve the right to edit any submitted work.

Editors-in-Chief: Madiha Aslam Allison Reynolds

Managing Editor: Lena Hoober-Burkhardt

Writers: Ted Becker Margaret Fasel Andrea Franz Marc Kulick Shannon McMahon Megan Mix Chris Neal

Staff Photographers: Chris Neal, Abigail Watts, Megan Mix Advisor: Lindsay Zimmerman

Printer: MPress

By Ted BeckerApparently step one in the

White House’s Guide in How to Not Get Your Vice President Impeached is unify your base. Step one, sub-point A would then go something like, “Supreme Court nominees with relatively unknown political stance and virtually no qualifications to be a Justice other than being a close personal friend of the president: bad. Highly qualified albeit con-servative circuit court judge with whom even the democrats will have trouble objecting to: good.”

To the disappointment of almost no one--except Ms. Miers herself, and possibly a few people who believe that cronyism should still have a place in post-Katrina politics--President Bush has finally pulled Harriet Miers’s nomination to the Supreme Court. In her place he has nominated Judge Samuel Alito of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Philadelphia. At the time of this writing, Judge Alito is a new nominee, with nothing to judge him by except his substantial ju-dicial record (a feature Ms. Miers noticeably lacked).

First things first, Judge Alito seems undeniably qualified. He served three years as a federal prosecutor, three years as Deputy Attorney General, four years as an assistant Solicitor General arguing cases before the Supreme Court, and 15 years as an ap-pellate judge (numbers that will

undoubtedly be repeated ad nau-seam by the right in the following weeks). Unlike Ms. Miers, whose prose was so bland and poorly written it was nearly comical, Judge Alito shows an ability to at least write coherently in his legal opinions.

Democrats need not be too worried about Judge Alito’s political leanings either. Though certainly conservative in his per-sonal views (he’s been referred to as Scalia-light, a term that Demo-crats rightfully cringe at, because of his Italian-American and Catholics roots), Alito’s record as judge, while still conservative, is not as right wing as we might expect, considering his personal views on the issues come before him.

In his most notable abortion rights case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Judge Alito maintained that women do have a right to abortions, signifying that he prob-ably won’t be on board for any immediate overturning of Roe v. Wade.

In United States v Rybar, Judge Alito’s most notable gun case of record, he dissented from the Court’s opinion, stating, in a nearly liberal view, that Congress may have the right to regulate the interstate commerce of automatic weapons, but that issue was not applicable to the case. Passing up a possible chance to push his personal views on automatic weapons, Judge Alito stated in-

stead that “Both statutes…lack a jurisdictional element, that is, they do not require federal prosecutors to prove that firearms were possessed in or affecting interstate commerce.” Judge Alito did bring the argument back to a traditional conservative point of view, saying that since the statute didn’t require that it be proven that the guns were part of inter-state commerce, the Commerce Clause of the Constitution did not

The Real Nominee: Good-bye Miers, Hello Alito

At the White House, Bush warmly welcomed Supreme Court Justice nominee Samuel Alito.

apply, and the legality of the guns would be an issue for the states, not the federal government.

This nomination should come as no surprise to most. In classic Bush fashion, the White House tried to slip in not someone who was actually qualified but one of their own whom they could count on to be loyal and pass decisions accordingly. Once it was clear that appointing Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court would require

a political battle with their own right wing base, a battle the White House is currently not ca-pable of fighting, it was almost as if Bush laughed and said, “Okay, here’s my real nomination.” And really, President Bush’s new nomination is exactly what people were expecting from a Re-publican White House: a justice conservative enough to appease the right and qualified enough to appease the left.

Ashley NurJoey ShopmakerAbigail WattsWhitney WattsEvan WertsKellyn Wieland

Final Exams Around the Corner

3. On Thursday afternoon after your last final, take the time to re-lease the stress of the past week.

Are You Prepared? Steps for Success:1. Form a study group with friends to have fun while preparing for your harder classes.

2. If you can’t get much work done with friends, try working one-one-one with your teacher.

Dec. 9, 2005

B-LINE WORLD NEWS

By Megan MixAs gas prices continue to rise

and global warming continues to harm the world, Americans nationwide are turning their atten-tion from the popular massive en-gines to a more environmentally friendly engine in the car market.

At the start of the twenty-first century, SUV’s, pick-up trucks, and Hummers became the most popular vehicles on the market. But these gas-guzzling monsters may not survive the present fuel crisis.

After Hurricane Katrina hit the United States, gas prices skyrocketed. Car makers such as Ford, Toyota, Nissan, and Buick suffered an 18 percent fall in sales. SUV and truck sales for General Motors fell 30 percent. The demand for big cars is decreasing.

For years, people have searched for a form of transporta-tion that can relieve us from our dependency on expensive fuel and reduce the rapid rate of global warming. Today, if everyone was to drive the most fuel-efficient car on the market, Americans alone would save 1.74 billion gallons of

gas per year. Over the past fifty years, the

rate of global warming has in-creased, and a shocking 400 miles of polar ice caps in the North Pole have melted away due to changes in climate. According to Jeffrey Klugger of CNN, many scientists are accrediting hurricanes like Katrina and Wilma to the rapid increase of global warming that has caused changes in climate. Meteorologist Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmo-spheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, says, “The odds have changed in favor of more intense storms and heavier rainfalls. These are not small changes. We’re talking about a very large change.”

Today, the hybrid car provides a solution. Hybrid cars consist of a gas engine as well as recharge-able batteries. The car is light-weight, which makes the hybrid efficient and safe. Hybrid batter-ies help to power the car, which in turn reduces fuel emissions when the car is accelerating rather than relying solely on gasoline. The hybrid car does not use its gas engine until it reaches 40 mph

or more. At this rate, hybrid cars can easily get 51 miles per gallon on a highway. Large engine ve-hicles, on the other hand, get on average twelve miles to the gal-lon. Hybrid car owners will not only save money by cutting back on fuel, but also people who drive hybrid cars receive tax breaks of up to two thousand dollars.

If used worldwide, hybrid cars could reduce smog by up to 90 percent, consume less gas than the average car, and help to slow down the effects of global warming.

Contrary to common belief, hybrid cars are by no means an inferior good. In fact, Hollywood is setting a trend of environmental awareness. At the recent Acad-emy Awards, several stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Orlando Bloom, Salma Hayek, and Natalie Portman showed up to the red carpet in hybrid cars. Movies such as The Day After Tomorrow are being produced to increase people’s interest and knowledge of the environment.

Within the next ten to twenty years, it is extremely vital for the hybrid car market to grow;

otherwise, harmful changes such as loss of seasons, endangerment and extinction of multiple animal species, and growth in the de-struction caused by global warm-ing may be a daily event fifty years from now--not to forget the ever-changing prices of oil.

While these problems may seem exaggerated or extreme, global warming, caused by our

dependency on fuel for transpor-tation, is by no means a distant problem; it is a problem that will be apparent within five decades. It is crucial for people to demand hybrid cars in the market, as sup-ply of these vehicles depends on popular demand. In the long run, not only our pockets but genera-tions to come will benefit from switching to hybrid cars.

The Fall of the SUV and Rise of the Hybrid Car

By Whitney WattsThis month the Kansas Board

of Education redefined the stan-dards for teaching evolution in school classrooms, throwing out any doubt concerning evolution and intelligent design.

The debate over evolution divides teachers and parents. The Kansas Board of Education ended this debate earlier this month, declaring that both theories were appropriate for students to learn.

The Scopes trial initiated the conflict that can rise when education is overriden by faith; the court favoring divine creation forced many schools to revaluate their own policies. This impera-tive case has led many schools to evaluate the conflict that can arise when students are forced to choose theory over personal faith.

The limits of evolution in the curriculum have been debated for years. But earlier this November, the Kansas Board of Education passed a resolution allowing teachers to incorporate alternative theories. The board re-defined “science” to include any theory concerning the development of life. This allows teachers to cast doubt about the theory of evolu-tion and to provide alternative ideas.

Barstow has no obligation to

alter their curriculum because it is a private school in Missouri. But alternatives to evolution have been incorporated into the curriculum at Barstow for years. Allowing students to choose has allowed teachers to avoid conflict from parents while introducing a new theory to many students.

“Evolution is a theory we teach the students; it has not been proven yet,” said Dr. Albert Leyva, who teaches freshman and AP Biology.

But many students believe it is imperative for evolution to be the primary theory taught at Barstow.

“There is too much evidence not to teach it, while there isn’t as much time to consider everyone’s personal beliefs,” freshman Emily McMeekin said.

Leyva says that they encour-age students to draw their own conclusions from the theory in an attempt to please the diverse student body. While intelligent design is still discussed as a theory in the classroom, students are encouraged to consider both theories as explanations.

“I will continue to teach evolution because it allows you to consider how life works, but I will not discourage students from applying their own beliefs,” Leyva said.

Education Evolves in Kansas Schools

By Margaret FaselOn October 8, an earthquake

of terrifying force struck the area of Pakistan and Kashmir with a magnitude of 7.6. This earthquake is the most forceful to strike this area of South Asia in 100 years, and it has caused severe damage to people and property. The death toll so far reaches to over 78,000 people, with over 78,000 people in-jured. Many of the people killed were in the area of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan. About 3.3 million people were made homeless by the earthquake.

The area’s mountainous geography makes it difficult for relief to be administered, but relief organizations are trying to distribute blankets and tents

to the stricken areas. Pakistan has asked for medicine, especially an-tibiotics and painkillers. Victims of the earthquake face a deadly combination of cold, malnutri-tion, and disease. Without the needed help, thousands more could die. The area desperately needs tents and hospital provi-sions. Hospitals are full and in need of everything from more op-erating tables to medicines. The area is in a disastrous state and is not receiving nearly as much help as it needs.

The United Nations World Food Programme has stated that over 2.5 million people are in need of emergency food. Both U.N. workers and other aid opera-tions say that they have received less than a quarter of the money

Destruction, Devastation in Pakistan and Kashmir

needed for their relief opera-tions. Without this money, food and other relief items cannot be delivered. The president of Pakistan has criticized the U.S. and other countries for not do-nating to the earthquake as they did to Hurricane Katrina and last year’s tsunami in Asia.

The onset of winter poses another threat to the people affected by the earthquake. Without shelter those made homeless by the earthquake will freeze. It is said that if proper protection is not provided, the same number of people who died from the quake could be killed by the cold. The Pakistani government has begged people to come out of the highlands for the winter to warmer areas, but they are not sure if the requests will be met. People do not want to leave their crops and animals or the area where they have been living for so long.

Organizations such as Unicef, the Red Cross, World Health Organization, World Vision, and others except donations for the tragedy. These donations can be given through online sites or by calling a 1-800 number. The victims of the earthquake are in desperate need of help, and with such a shortage of funds, any help is appreciated. A homeless Pakistani boy cries in the arms of his father.

The futuristic-looking hybrid cars are an easy way to conserve the environment and save money.

Dec. 9, 2005

NEWS B-LINE

The Diary of Anne Frank: Fall Play Receives Raves

Debate and Forensics Season in Full Swing

Anne Frank (Meredith Upchurch), Peter (Broc Exposito), and Mr. Kraler (Tony Hernandez) struggle to survive in a tiny attic during World War II in this fall’s school play.

Phot

o by

Meg

an M

ix

By Andrea FranzThe season for the avid

debaters and forensics enthusiasts has just begun, and the Barstow teams are off to a promising start. With numerous upcoming tournaments, team members are preparing vigorously, spending countless hours on speech rate and diction skill drills. Forensics squad members constantly memo-rize and perform their pieces.

Debate and forensics are not only interesting extracurricular activities, they also broaden the mind. “Debate is a great opportu-nity to be more current on world events as well as intellectual issues such as philosophy and po-litical sciences,” said sophomore Sam Driks.

On November 11, the debate team competed in the Grandview High School tournament. In Public Forum, two of the eight participants chosen to compete in the elimination round were from Barstow. Juniors Noah Roth and Ted Becker partnered to finish fourth place overall, and Tony Hernandez and Whitney Watts were awarded third place. Other participating teams included junior Jacob Highland in Lincoln Douglas and sophomores Ryan Potts and Matt Bush in Policy.

The Barstow debaters faced 40 teams from 17 Missouri schools. Debate coach Linda Collier said, “In the preliminaries,

we overwhelmed the competition and that was due to the research they had done on the topic. Tony Hernandez took an economic course at Harvard University this summer. This helped because the debate topic was Hurricane Katrina rebuilding and how eco-nomically we should support it.”

The weekend of November 18 was another eventful tourna-ment for the debaters, who traveled to Chicago to compete in the largest high school debate tournament in the United States. Barstow brought three Policy debate teams, two Lincoln Doug-las teams, and one Public Forum team.

Ryan Potts and Sam Driks competed fiercely against a pool of opponents who had been involved in the national circuit tournaments for quite some time. In the end, they finished three for three and in the top third of 70 teams. These few teams were among the many skilled groups that Barstow brought to compete with at the national level.

Overall, this year’s team is full of hard-workers, and their future competitors are in for a challenge. “Our year is just beginning and Missouri rules only allow us to start in October. From now until April, every weekend will be spent compet-ing. I have high hopes,” said Collier.

Former Real World Cast Member talks about Real Worldparents was simply for them to be real with their kids. Trying not to judge and apologizing can often be difficult things for parents to deal with, and learning to cope with this is the next step to recovery. Despite speaking with the parents first, his main

Mo Speaks, Barstow ListensBy Ashley Nur

Be bamboo. Although that statement

may appear insignificant to most listeners, it spoke volumes to parents the night Mohammed Bilal came to speak at Barstow. The phrase helped parents learn how to work with their children in a positive way. Bamboo is aggressive, generous, and strong but flexible: all attributes that would help parents create a stronger relationship with their child.

The Real World cast member turned public speaker was invited to Barstow to touch on issues such as drugs, alcohol, and growing up. His lectures to parents and later to students the next day were informative and well articulated in a way that not only interested adults but youth as well.

On October 25, Bilal spoke to parents about coping with their children growing up. “Studies have shown that the teen’s prefrontal cortex is still developing, so when your kid starts developing mood swings, it’s because they’re trying to handle the expansion of their minds.”

He also spoke about the seven steps to appreciating yourself and your teen. The main point he tried to get across to the

focus was reaching the students at Barstow.

The following morning, Bilal’s main project was underway when he spoke to students for the first time. He

talked about topics that can be uncomfortable to discuss, i.e. drugs and alcohol. Discussing these issues can often be a difficult task unless presented in an acceptable format. Bilal talked to the upper school not only as a whole but without faculty as well. This approach allowed students to open up without fear of being reprimanded or judged by teachers.

He also intrigued students with his other passion, “poetic hip-hop storytelling,” by rapping on topics such as drugs and their affects on your life. He told of not only his own experiences but the ones of others in his life as well.

Overall, the students responded well to the assembly. Barstow’s attempts to create a better understanding of the issues with drugs, alcohol, and peer pressure are starting to rub off on the students, and hopefully these important issues will make the school environment more comfortable.

Freshman Ravali Reddy said, “I thought it was cool that he just didn’t tell us what we should do, but what could happen. It was nice to know the positive things that would happen without drugs.”

Bilal raps to students during an assembly for 8th through 12th graders.

By Abigail WattsThe Barstow Drama Depart-

ment recently presented The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, a play based on the two years Anne Frank, along with seven other Jews, spent in hiding dur-ing World War II. The play was performed on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19. The performance received ac-colades throughout the Barstow community and was described as “refreshing” and “atypical.” The story is profound, yet Barstow students accurately and maturely presented this amazing drama.

The play provided an oppor-tunity for many younger actors to display their talent. Despite the loss of several gifted senior per-formers, it is clear that upcoming performances will continue to be impressive, as so many younger performers shone in this drama.

The Diary of Anne Frank por-trays the time the Franks, the van Daans, and Albert Dussel lived secretly to escape deportation to a concentration camp. The play was based on Anne’s diary entries. Anne provided a detailed account

of nearly every event of her se-clusion, from the daily squabbles about food to the merry holiday celebrations. From her writings, we meet a girl who desperately sought acceptance, struggled with insecurity, and longed for love.

The play reflects Anne’s maturation and growth into a young woman in an abnormal climate. Perhaps the widespread popularity of Anne’s Diary arises from the many parallels between her life and that of a modern teen, such as first kisses, flirtation, and rebellion against her mother.

Many walked away from the play with tears in their eyes after the show ended with a heartfelt monologue performed by Otto Frank (as portrayed by Tommy Cochran). Anne’s story highlights the indestructibility of the human spirit, even in the midst of geno-cide and war. Despite the threat of discovery and death, Anne remained optimistic throughout the two years she hid in an attic above her father’s business. Even as she heard news of war and wit-nessed the stigmatization of her race, Anne clung to her belief that man is essentially good at heart.

Dec. 9, 2005

B-LINE FEATURE

No Limit Texas Hold‘em—One can bet all of his chips at one time. Often called the “Cadillac of poker games,” it is by the far the most popular game and is the main event at the World Series of Poker that takes place in May ev-ery year. The game is played with

two “hole cards”—two down cards that only the card-holder can see. The next fi ve cards are all community cards, meaning everyone can use them. They are set out in three different sets. The fi rst set is called “the fl op.” Three cards are put out on the fl op. The

Royal Flush: When the player has 10-J-Q-K-A, all of the same suit.

Straight Flush: Five cards, of the same suit, in order, such as 4-5-6-7-8 all of hearts.

Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same number, such as 8-8-8-8-5.

Full House: A set of three of a kind plus a pair, such as 10-10-10-3-3 or K-K-K-2-2.

Flush: Five cards all of the same suit, but not in order, such as 2-4-7-J-K of spades.

Straight: Five cards in numerical order, such as 3-4-5-6-7, but not all of the same suit.

Three of a Kind: A hand including three cards of the same number or rank, such as 5-5-5-K-J or Q-Q-Q-2-3.

Two Pair: Two pairs of cards of the same number or rank, such as 5-5-4-4-Q or 7-7-9-9-2.

One Pair: A hand includ-ing only two cards that match, like K-K-5-7-9.

High Card: If no one has any of the above hands, the player with the highest card in their hand wins. Just having an ace in the hole is sometimes enough.

Listed from best to worst, this list assumes no jokers or wild cards are being used.

Five-Card Poker Hands

fl op is followed by “fourth street” or “the turn.” The turn is only one card. After the turn is the last card, “fi fth street” or “the river.” Players make their best fi ve-card hand and can use any of the seven cards on the table.

Pot Limit Hold’em—This game is very similar to No Limit; the only difference is that you cannot bet all of your chips when-ever you want to. You are limited to betting only the size of the pot, so the maximum bet placed would be “betting the pot.”

Limit Hold’em—Another variation of Hold’em but with set limits. Let’s say the limits are two and four. Before the fl op and on the fl op you can only bet two; however, after the turn you can bet four. Thus, in these games it generally takes longer for one player to lose all his chips at one time.

Pot Limit Omaha—Players

are dealt four down cards. Next comes the fl op, the turn, and the river. However, players MUST use exactly two of their down cards and three community cards to make the best fi ve-card hand. Again, in this game the maximum bet is the size of the pot.

Omaha Hi-Low Split—In this game, players are dealt four down cards, and the same rules apply as in Pot Limit Omaha, except that there can be two winners—the high hand and the low hand. In the low hand, all cards are lower than eight; in cases where someone in the game has all cards under eight, there pot is split.

Seven Card Stud—All play-ers put in an ante. Starting to his left, the dealer deals each player two cards down (called “hole” or “pocket” cards) and one card face up. Everyone looks at their hole cards. The player with the lowest card showing face up

has to put in a small bet called a “bring in.” Then betting continues to that low-card player’s left. Each player can call, raise, or fold. After betting is completed, another card is dealt to each player face-up (called “fourth street” or “the turn”). Another round of betting occurs, starting with the player with the highest cards showing. From fourth street on, the player with the highest cards showing will continue to bet fi rst. After betting is complete, the fi fth card (“fi fth street” or “the river”) is dealt face-up. More betting occurs, then the sixth card is dealt face up. More betting. The seventh and fi nal card is dealt face-down to the players remain-ing in the hand. A fi nal round of betting occurs. The players show their hands at “the showdown.” The player who can make the best fi ve-card hand from the seven they were dealt, wins.

Getting Started: Basic Rules for Popular Poker Games

A Loser’s Guide to Winning Poker

By Marc KulickPoker started out as an

outlaw’s game. Texan gunslingers would travel throughout the state hunting a game. These games were highly illegal, and players were always on the run. But soon, poker became an underground success. Since poker has now spilled into the mainstream of society, people’s views on poker have changed.

Poker’s rise in popularity can be documented through the suc-cess of the turn out for the World Series of Poker. There were thirty-three events this year, high-lighted by the main event where a record fi ve thousand competitors signed up. This created a fi rst prize of $7.5 million. As little as three years ago, the number of competitors was nowhere close to a thousand, and the fi rst prize was $1 million. The best way to understand poker’s growth is through the professionals that have brought poker into the main-stream. From the original legends

of poker Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss, and Preston “Amarillo” Slim, to Stu Unger and Johnny Chan, to the current stars Phil Ivey, Phil Helmuth, and Greg Raymer.

In the 1970s, the fi rst genera-tion of modern-day poker players came along. Johnny Moss won the inaugural World Series of Poker, and Amarillo Slim and Doyle Brunson joined him throughout the decade. Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim had been traveling Texas for twenty years before the fi rst World Series. Brunson became the fi rst player in history to win two World Series of Poker main events in a row. Brunson has also authored two of the most infl u-ential poker books ever written. In his fi rst book, Super System, Brunson describes strategies and anecdotes about almost every game. This book soon became outdated, however, and Brunson released Super System II in 2004. To this day only two people have matched Brunson’s two World Series of Poker main even titles: Johnny Chan and Stu Ungar.

Stu “the Kid” Ungar embodied all the stereotypes of poker play-ing. His skill was unmatched; by the age of 18 he was already regarded as the best gin player in New York. He was also a compulsive gambler. But that was possibly his least destruc-tive habit; he was also heavily into drugs and the Las Vegas underworld. In 1980 and 1981, he won back-to-back World Series of Pokers. His lifestyle, however, proved too costly, and Stuey “The Kid” Ungar dropped off the poker map. He resurfaced in 1997, with half of his nose collapsed and no money. He convinced one of his old gambling friends from the late 70’s, Billy Baxter, to back him

the $10,000 buy-in for the WSOP, and what followed was the great-est accomplishment in poker history. Stu Ungar won his record third WSOP main event title. A year and a half later, his lifestyle caught up with him again, and Stu Ungar died broke. Ungar was considered by many the best poker player of all time.

In 1987 and 1988, an-other player won two consecutive WSOP titles, Johnny Chan. But Chan, along with Brunson, added yet another accomplishment at this year’s WSOP. They both won their 10th WSOP bracelets (play-ers get bracelets for each event they win at the WSOP).

Current players have different opportunities than the players of old. Every Wednesday on the Travel Channel, there is an “episode” of the World Poker Tour. These tournaments provide opportunities for players to win $1,000,000 outside of the WSOP, something that has never before been available to players. Players like Phil Ivey can make a living through poker because of the amount of money in tournaments and how many tournaments there are. There are still players that make their living without playing all those tournaments. Pos-sibly the most known and hated poker player is “Poker Brat” Phil Helmuth. He does not play many tournaments, and when he does play he usually leaves amidst a plethora of obscene language. He makes his money through TV. He does commercials, advertises for different poker websites, and even has an agent. But he still makes enough money through poker; this year he won the “Na-tional Heads-Up Championship,” which was a gain of $500,000.

Currently there is a new name sweeping through poker. Greg

Raymer, the 2004 WSOP main event champion, was said to be “lucky” when he won. He had never competed before the 2004 World Series, and he won $5,000,000. This year he was out to prove a point to all his critics. He started out by making over $100,000 in a smaller No Limit Hold’em event during the World Series. Last year, he bested a fi eld of over 3000 competitors; this year, Greg Raymer got 25th place at the main event. There were over fi ve thousand people in the competition. Raymer has since quit his job as a patent attorney. Even if poker players don’t play all that many tournaments, there is still enough money out there for them to make a living playing cards.

Throughout the past three decades, poker has changed. It used to be for “outlaws”—poker clubs were illegal, and the people playing were gunslingers. Then casinos arrived, fi lled with cigarette smoke and alcohol. Now at the WSOP, smoking is prohibited. You can see poker on TV almost every day. Poker is now becoming accepted into the mainstream of society, making it even more possible for players to make a living playing poker.

Race to the River:a Brief History of Poker

Dec. 9, 2005

FEATURE B-LINE

By Lena Hoober-BurkhardtOn December 25, millions of

children eagerly anticipate the coming of Christmas. They can’t wait to wake up early on Christmas morning, tumbling down the stairs to gaze with glittering eyes at the pile of presents underneath the sparkling Christmas tree. But in America and around the world, many children are impatiently awaiting the beginning of very dif-ferent holiday celebrations. There are several holidays that people of different cultures and ethnicities celebrate during the holiday season that mainstream American culture fails to recognize. These holidays celebrate many different traditions and customs that people have around the world.

Holidays that are celebrated by people of different culutres in America include Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

Kwanzaa- This is an African-American celebration that was founded in 1966. It’s not political or religious, but was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga to reaffi rm the traditions and culture of the African-American people. It’s celebrated from December 26 to January 1. One of the most impor-tant symbols of Kwanzaa is the Kinara. It holds seven candles to symbolize the seven principles of Kwanzaa – three red, three green, and one black. These three colors are the traditional Kwanzaa colors and are used in decorating for Karamu. This is the Kwanzaa feast and is celebrated on December 31. Karamu includes traditional songs, dances, poetry, performances, and, of course, lots of African food.

Hanukkah- One of these bet-ter known holidays is the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which is celebrated for eight days. On the fi rst night, the Shamash–standing on the tallest candle holder–is lit,

By Lena Hoober-BurkhardtOn December 25, millions of

children eagerly anticipate the coming of Christmas. They can’t wait to wake up early on Christmas morning, tumbling down the stairs to gaze with glittering eyes at the pile of presents underneath the sparkling Christmas tree. But in America and around the world, many children are impatiently awaiting the beginning of very dif-ferent holiday celebrations. There are several holidays that people of different cultures and ethnicities celebrate during the holiday season that mainstream American culture fails to recognize. These holidays celebrate many different traditions and customs that people have around the world.

Holidays that are celebrated by people of different culutres in America include Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

Kwanzaa- This is an African-American celebration that was founded in 1966. It’s not political or religious, but was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga to reaffi rm the traditions and culture of the African-American people. It’s celebrated from December 26 to January 1. One of the most impor-tant symbols of Kwanzaa is the Kinara. It holds seven candles to symbolize the seven principles of Kwanzaa – three red, three green, and one black. These three colors are the traditional Kwanzaa colors and are used in decorating for Karamu. This is the Kwanzaa feast and is celebrated on December 31. Karamu includes traditional songs, dances, poetry, performances, and, of course, lots of African food.

Hanukkah- One of these bet-ter known holidays is the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which is celebrated for eight days. On the fi rst night, the Shamash–standing on the tallest candle holder–is lit,

and then used to light the candle for that particular night. Each night, the candles are successively lit from right to left. This tradition began around 165 B.C. after the Maccabees, under Judah Maccabee, defeated the Syrians, under King Antiochus IV. After reclaiming the Holy City, the Jews prepared for the rededication of the desecrated temple of Jerusalem. Unfortunately, they only possessed enough oil to keep the candle afl ame for one night. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days. To this day, the Menorah is lit in celebration of this holy miracle. Traditionally,

Hanukkah was one of the only times that rabbis permitted games of chance. Children sometimes play games with a spinning top called a dreidel during the eight days of the festival. Before play, each player puts a certain number of coins, candies, or another object into a “pot.” One player then spins the dreidel. Each of the four sides of the dreidel bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the side that lands up when the dreidel stops spinning indicates which part of the pot the player will receive. The Hebrew letter nun indicates “noth-ing”; the letter gimel, “all”; hei,

“half”; and shin, “put in” or “match the pot.” Over time, these letters came to stand for the Hebrew phrase Nes gadol haya sham (“A great miracle happened there”). The usual winnings include Hanuk-kah gelt, which is either actual coinage or a delicious chocolate candy disguised as a coin.

Several countries also celebrate different holidays during the Christmas season.

Sweden- In Sweden, not only do people celebrate Christmas, but they also celebrate St. Lucia Day on December 13. Saint Lucia was the patron saint of love and

kindness. Early in the morning on December 13, the oldest girl in the family dresses up as Saint Lucia in a long white robe with a red sash, and wears a crown of candles on her head. She then wakes up the rest of the family by carrying in a tray of cookies to each of them.

The Philippines- Nobody is more serious about celebrating Christmas than the Filipinos. Christmas celebrations start in September and go through December. So, instead of celebrat-ing the Christmas season for one month of the year, the Filipinos celebrate for four months. The Filipino Christmas has many of the traditional customs – snowmen, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and Nativity Scenes. It’s a very reli-gious holiday, with special masses and Catholic celebrations going on throughout the month of December. They also celebrate the Feast of the Three Wise Men on January 6, and this signifi es the end of the Christ-mas season for the Filipinos. Spain- In Spain (and many other Spanish-speaking countries), Santa doesn’t come bearing gifts, the Three Wise men do. The Christmas season continues after December 25. The Spanish celebrate the traditional Christmas with nativity scenes and the all-important Mid-night Mass, which everybody in Spain attends, and then eat Christ-mas dinner afterwards. But they also celebrate the Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Wise Men. The Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, and the Three Kings come on the Eve of Epiphany, January 5, to fi ll children’s stockings with goodies.

Germany- Two important holidays that are celebrated in Germany besides Christmas are St. Nicholas Day and St. Thomas Day. St. Nicholas Day is on December 6. The night before St. Nicholas visits all the children and fi lls

Let the Celebration Begin

CHRISTMAS MEMORIESiREFLECTIONSiTRADITIONS

Art Crumm-“My favorite part of Christmas

was decorating the Christmas tree with my family.”

Beth Reynolds, senior-“On Christmas Eve, my family

and I watch A Christmas Story while eating candy from Santa. It’s a good, wholesome, fun family holiday tradition.”

Matt Bush, sophomore-“Christmas perpetuates the

capitalistic ideology that shouts ‘Buy!’ We must stand in solidarity against these oppresive powers that stand at the top of their corporate towers looking down upon all the lowly consumers.”

Tommy Cochran, junior-“My favorite Christmas was when

my family and I went to Naples. We went to the beach on Christmas because it was actually warm enough to go to the beach. And then we went to a Chinese restaurant and had Chinese for Christmas dinner.”

These three men are prepared to participate in the Festival of Three Kings taking place in Bilbao, Spain.

For Girls…

Dec. 9, 2005

FEATUREB-LINE

Custom Photo Clutch/Wristlet ($39.95)

www.snaptotes.comUpload a photo of you and your friend, and the design will be imprinted on the purse you select. It’s a great personalized gift and a keepsake of your friendship.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Tee ($20)

www.80stees.comShe’ll wear this adorable tee featuring Rudolph and his girlfriend every day during Christmas break.

Floating Heart Pink CZ Pendant ($14.99)

www.hechts.comThis gorgeous yet inexpen-sive pink cubic zirconium necklace will become a staple in any girl’s ward-robe.

For Boy s…“Merry Christmizzle, Fo Shizzle” T-Shirt ($16.99)

www.trippintees.comGive him this t-shirt, and he may be inspired to write a Christmas rap. Scene It?: Sports DVD

Game -- Powered by ESPN ($26.89)

www.target.comThis athlete’s version of the original Scene It? game is perfect to play with fam-ily and friends. The DVD features video clips from the greatest moments in sports history.

iGuy iPod Case ($40)www.fredfl are.com

This rubber iPod case—the “iGuy”—has stretchable, bendable arms that hold his keys while playing some holiday tunes on his iPod.

For Your List …iPod Nano (from $199)

www.applestore.comThis miniature, modern version of the Apple iPod stores music, photos, and more with a full-color dis-play screen.

Swarovski Crystal Cell Phone Face-plate (from $95)

www.lets-crystalit.comThe company will decorate any cell phone with multi-colored Swarovski crystals in the design and color scheme you choose. They also add bling to fl ip-fl ops, iPods, sunglasses, and more.

Voodoo Envy a:228 ($1,900)

www.voodoopc.comVisit the Voodoo website to design your own laptop. Choose from 11 bright colors and 12 “tattoo” de-

signs to give your computer a hip look for 2006.

Let the Celebration Begin

CHRISTMAS MEMORIESiREFLECTIONSiTRADITIONS

their stockings with gifts if they were good and twigs if they had been naughty. St. Thomas Day is celebrated on December 21,the winter solstice and shortest day of the year. Whoever wakes up last, or arrives to work last is dubbed the “Thomas Donkey,” given a cardboard donkey, and is subject to soft teasing for the rest of the day. But the jesting is all in fun, and St. Thomas Day fi nishes with a special feast, including traditional foods, including a sweet bun called Thomasplitzchen.

Europe- In many European countries (and Canada) Boxing Day is celebrated. Boxing Day is also known as the Feast of St. Ste-

Robert Demeritt-“I remember my family’s

fi rst Christmas in China. We were all feeling a little homesick and were very excited when a package arrived from my wife’s grandmother with a jar of coffee in it, because we hadn’t had good American coffee in a long time. But when we opened the jar, there was fl our in it. She had apparently put the wrong jar in the package. But I guess it’s the thought that counts.”

To Give & to Receive

phen. This is celebrated on the day after Christmas and originated in the 1800’s under Queen Victoria. This is a holiday used to recognize trade people and servants. Families would give food, clothing, and sometimes money to these people to show gratitude for all of their hard work during the year. These gifts were given in boxes, thus giv-ing the holiday the name “Boxing Day.”

It appears that when winter arrives, celebrations begin all over the world. Everybody is ready to feast, dance, and laugh their way through their own special holiday tradtions. And with winter here, the celebrations can begin.

A Jewish woman partakes in the centuries-old tradition of lighting the Menorah.

Great ideas for gift giving...and getting

Dec. 9, 2005

By Shannon McMahonPlace: Country Club PlazaMood: Your mood has to

match your outfit: rich and up-scale. Don’t be seen at the Plaza without your face on.

Catch Phrase: “Kansas City’s premier entertainment district”

Similar locations include: Oak Park Mall

Check this out: 1154 Lill Studio, the original

create-your-own handbag bou-tique from Chicago, has opened their third boutique here in Kansas City. Customers pick their bag design from twenty currently available and then mix and match from hundreds of limited edition and ever-changing fabrics to cre-ate a personal design. 1154 Lill Studio is a popular accessories location. For accessories, also check out Coach and Brighton Collectibles, which carries hand-bags, footwear, home accessories, and sunglasses.

MAC Cosmetics offers various products for lips, eyes, face, skin, and nails, as well as fragrance. MAC is one of the top-selling makeup companies in the world. Their lip line is the most popular, including Lipglass and Glitz Gloss. For all your other make-up needs, check out the fabulous,

newly opened Beauty Brands. Or if you want a more natural feel, try Origins. They use all natural ingredients like plant extracts and minerals.

If you’re looking for a more computer-related approach to this holiday, try the much-visited Apple store, with their top selling item the iPod. They have work-shops and extravagant presenta-tions of all of their items.

Other stores are Bang & Olufson, a high-end electronics retailer; EB Games, with so many games you won’t be able to choose; and The Sharper Image, a luxury top-of-the-line retailer.

Place: Town Center PlazaMood: Anything goes. You can

just wear a pair of sweatpants to Town Center and go shopping.

Catch Phrase: “The Center of It All”

Similar locations: If you can’t make it out to South Kansas City, try Zona-Rosa in North Kansas City.

Check this out: Jessica McClintock, a fashion-

able dress store, is known for its unique and ever-changing dress-es. It is the only dress store at Town Center Plaza. Although Jes-sica McClintock has good sales,

the sale items are out of date, and non-sale items are pricey. If you are looking for something more classy or even formal to dress up for Christmas dinner or a winter dance, try Cache for elegant women’s dresses or After-Hours Formalwear for men.

If you’re shopping for your grandparents or even your own parents, check out Dean and Deluca, where you can find great food, gelato, or elegant cookware. Dean and Deluca sells a variety of coffee products to warm anyone’s spirit. They also have great care-packages starting at $34, which make a wonderful gift and include an assortment of dried fruit or freshly baked cream biscuits. Similar stores to Dean and Deluca are Harry and David, known for their amazing choco-late, fruit, and candy baskets, or Williams-Sonoma, with whose Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes you’ll be sure to bake something yummy for the whole family.

American Eagle Outfitters, Pac Sun, The Buckle, and Wet Seal are all conveniently located next to each other, making it easy to shop for your girlfriend, boyfriend, or best friend. Ameri-can Eagle has fifteen different washes of jeans, funky jewelry, and screen-printed shirts for men and women. Pac Sun, a more skater-surfer store, has a variety of name-brand clothing including Roxy, Tilt, Volcom, and Adio. Pac Sun is the perfect store to get anything for your man. The Buckle has the same brands as those at Pac Sun. The Buckle sells everything for the vintage-cowboy style, and it’s a store where the whole family can shop. Wet Seal, my favorite store at Town Center, has the most up-to-date, fashionable styles. You can get your whole wardrobe there and not worry about how much you spent that day. Wet Seal also has good sales around the holidays.

B-LINELEISURE

Barefoot in the Kitchen: Creating a Gingerbread Utopia

At Whit’s End

By Whitney WattsI was a natural-born ruler.

Growing up, I ruled the Kingdom of Christmas where gingerbread soldiers kept watch with their M&M eyes, as I helped my mom ice the walls with rich chocolate frosting.

But all good things must come to an end. By January 1, my kingdom had been defaced by my family. My uncle John was fond of my soldiers, and my grandmother loved the candy-cane roads.

The gingerbread colony was a masterpiece, and for the holiday season it served as peaceful Utopia. And while I have stepped

down from my powerful position, I still get excited when I see my mom pull out the candy canes and iced gingerbread people. This holiday treat will satisfy your sweet tooth while improving your diplomatic skills!

You will need:Graham crackers OR ginger-

bread.Frosting of your choice (straw-

berry is my favorite)Assorted candy for garnish

(candy canes, ribbon candy, licorice, Hershey’s Kisses, Dots, Starburst, and M&Ms work well)

Optional: Pre-cut cardboard box for a strong foundation.

To make gingerbread, use the following ingredients:

6 cups all purpose flour 1 3/4 cups sugar 2/3 cups shortening 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons double-acting bak-ing powder 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 eight-ounce container sour cream 2 eggs

Mix ingredients and bake.While leaving the cookies to

cool, snack on the candy. Leave to cool overnight before you begin to build.

Recipe:Cut the shape of the structure

from gingerbread or graham crackers (and box, if desired) to support your structure.

Build the structure; ice the cor-ners to hold the building together.

Leave to dry for 10-12 hours.Place Candy along the house

and surrounding block to create an individual house.

By Whitney WattsAs the snow peacefully sets

on trees and Christmas lights graze the front porches of our homes, many begin to settle down in anticipation of the holidays. But if you are under the age of 25, your life is about to end...it’s time for finals. The rituals behind finals change from year to year. As many begin this grueling practice for the first time, many of us are mastering the art of overcoming this stress.

You can always identify the freshmen during finals week because they are the ones cascaded by stacks of books and note cards in the library. Every test is in a folder by subject, and packs of newly sharpened pencils overflow from their bags. Yes, freshman are by far the most over-prepared group during the week of finals.

Sophomores: by now they have stopped with the intricate file system and are down to one folder. Their note cards have been replaced by loose-leaf paper that they skim over while listen-ing to Green Day in their iPod.

Juniors: the most frustrated group of all. All they can think

about is how they aren’t quite done with school but are still expected to focus on work. By your junior year, all you can think about is how you want to get the heck out of high school. While at times you can pull off looking like you don’t have to try in school, this is the last look many colleges will get of your academic performance. By now you carry one notebook with illegible notes and a few old tests shoved between the pages.

And finally, senior year, you are lucky to find a senior who even brings writing implements to a exam…or even shows up for the final at all! I am not going to lie--I think it’s ridiculous that they expect seniors to show up to school at all. After three grueling years of cramming proof theories and Aristotle’s theory of tragedy, they expect us to function when all we can think about is finish-ing high school.

December: a month filled with gingerbread cookies, sparkling ornaments, and finals. How could anyone overlook a major exam for caroling and exchanging gifts? The key to getting through finals is not to get caught up in the hype. No worries...it’s only 25 percent of your grade!

Making Shoing L Strful Notes from the dog days of senioritisSeniors and the Final Countdown

A Run-Down of Kansas City’s One-Stop Shopping Hot Spots

Eddie Bauer at Country Club Plaza is a must-see hot spot.

Dec. 9, 2005

B-LINE LEISURE

3 Rules for Writing aNovel

By Madiha Aslam

In the Changer...In which we randomly sample upper school musical predilections

Senior Sara Masner

Back In BlackAC/DC

Fashion NuggetCake

Greatest Hits: My PrerogativeBritney Spears

“In my first memory, I am three years old and I am trying to kill my sister.”

So begins Jodi Picoult’s novel My Sister’s Keeper. All her life, Anna has been following in her sister’s shadow. She was con-ceived to be a matching donor for her older sister Kate, who at age two was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Now all the heavy medications that Kate takes have caused her kidneys to give out. Because her leukemia is such a rare form, it requires that her organ donor be an exact match. This novel follows the hardships of one girl as she makes some of the most important decisions of her life.

The Fitzgerald family is an average suburban family--except that they live their lives waiting for the next catastrophe to hap-pen. Anna’s parents Sara and Brian Fitzgerald build their lives around Kate. Her needs over-shadow everything else. Sara tries so hard not to lose one child that in the process, she forgets about Anna and her brother Jesse.

Brian understands Anna’s plea for recognition. Brian knows that he needs to allow Anna to choose whether or not she wants to be an organ donor. Both parents con-vince themselves that the medical donations Anna makes will not harm her in the long run and will help her sister to have one more moment on this Earth.

Throughout the novel, Anna has a hard time deciding whether or not she should actually go through with the trial. Anna wants to believe that she is doing the right thing, but her inability to please everyone creates a prob-lem. The more Anna reveals her

true feelings, the better the reader understands that she is ashamed of the selfish part of her that urges her on. Her whole life, Anna has been the peacemaker of the fam-ily, the one who made things bet-ter. She knows that she is causing the turmoil, and this hinders her from taking a firm stand.

Anna decides to refuse to donate a kidney to her dying

sister because she yearns for a normal life. Yet that is not the only the reason. Claiming medi-cal emancipation from her parents is her way of getting the attention she believes she deserves and also her way of letting her parents know that she is someone who lives and may die at any time just like Kate. Just because she doesn’t have a fatal disease does not mean that she should always come second.

Anna is not the only one neglected by her parents. Her

older brother Jesse has also been forgotten. When his parents found out that he wasn’t an exact match for Kate, they moved on to their other options. He deals with all his problems by intoxicating himself. By deliberately setting fires to abandoned buildings, he shows how disturbed he is. Jesse questions why his parents never reached out a hand to pull him back into the circle of their arms.

Kate, like Anna and Jesse, is never asked what she wants. Her parents assume that of course she would love any extra time on Earth. But they never see Kate’s side: her pain and the prolonged times of hospital admittance. In a way, Kate is tired of her life and ready to give up. She feels that everyone would be better off if she wasn’t around to cause all the difficulty that her disease creates.

Picoult writes so ably and fair-ly that the reader understands the story from each character’s point of view. Because each chapter is told by a different character, we get to know each individual in the novel personally and really get drawn in to the story. This novel is about an ethical dilemma, but Picoult in no way suggests that one solution is better than an-other. She presents the story and lets the readers decide their own opinions.

My Sister’s Keeper is an in-tense novel, sifting through many different issues and weaving in many characters. Anna’s story rather than Kate’s pulls the reader in. All of Picoult’s novels deal with, to some degree, family and relationships. Of all the books I’ve read by her, My Sister’s Keeper has been the most intrigu-ing and well written.

cutline here

Evan WertsI’ve been rediscovering a

movie-going experience lately: I have become a regular at the Tivoli. It’s an art house—you know, one of those places that your parents go, and you don’t.

When I was a child, I always considered art houses an awful all-around experi-ence: the candy was inevitably stale, the seats were uncomfort-able and not stadium style, a tall person would always sit in front of me, and to top it all off, the movie would always be boring, long, and sentimental. I hated it. As I’ve matured (or so I like to think), I find myself in-fatuated with everything I used to despise about art theaters. Part of it may be due to the fact that I no longer go with my parents, but I owe the rest to two recent films. Capote and Good Night and Good Luck have showed me how wonder-ful movies can be.

Capote is the story of Truman Capote, an outspoken author who wrote only one novel, In Cold Blood. In Cold Blood tells of two men who killed a family of four in rural Kansas in 1959. Capote is played with unnerving accuracy by Philip Seymour Hoffman, whom you may know from Almost Fa-mous or The Big Lebowski. Capote went through intense personal anguish to write one of the great American novels, and the performances were mind-

boggling. The movie is a little graphic, but the performances left me speechless, and the cin-ematography was beautiful.

Good Night and Good Luck is another period piece that could not have come out at a more politically poi-gnant time. It is the story of newsman Edward Murrow’s finest hour. Murrow was an opinionated journalist who wrote during the McCar-thy communist tri-als. He ran a series of pieces attacking the senator’s tactics

and the validity of his accusations.

McCarthy, in turn, attempted to ruin Murrow, but shortly before charges of treason were filed,

McCarthy was inves-tigated and sanctioned by a senate committee. Murrow was played by David Strathairn; other key players included

George Clooney (who

also directed the film), Robert Downey Jr., and Jeff Daniels. The film provides wonderful social commentary and wit, and shows what good filmmaking is

all about.I will not

pretend that an art house is the best of all movie experiences, but the movies are usually good, there aren’t half as many previews as at corporate movie theatres, and, at the very least, the Tivoli has charm that you would never find in Johnson County.

Instead of going to a blockbuster this

weekend, make the trek to one of these movies, and maybe, just maybe, understand your parents a little bit better.

The Professional Appreciator

Offerings at classy art house theaters aren’t just for parents

An early photo of Tru-man Capote.

The Tivoli Art Theatre in Westport.

One of many modern clas-sics playing at the Tivoli.

Picoult’s novel raises difficult ethical questions.

B-LINESPORTS

Dec. 9, 2005

KNIGHTS’ SPORTS

By Joey ShopmakerAt this year’s state tennis

tournament, sophomore Morgan Rainey placed second, while freshman Stephanie Dudzinski grabbed the bronze. The success of the 2005 girls’ tennis team has been amazing.

Heading into the most im-portant tournament of the year, Morgan Rainey had one thing on her mind: improving upon her successes last year when she placed third overall in the Mis-souri State Tennis Tournament. “I have so much fun at state. It’s a lot different than the other tourna-ments I go to; the girls are nice and fun, but we all compete well. This year was better because I got to have some of my teammates there with me, and I’m glad Barstow was able to take two of its players to state.”

Freshman Stephanie Dudzin-ski was new to the whole state experience, but she made it seem like she had played in many state tournaments. Dudzinski was ner-vous about her first time playing at such a large-scale event.

“I was mainly worried about my size difference compared to the seniors. However, I play in the USTA, so I knew which girls I needed to play my best against. Coming in as a freshman, my results in the tournament really depended on the luck of the draw. Luckily, I got a great draw and I was prepared to play my hardest and get at least third.”

If not for two-time defending champ Susan Sullivan of John Burroughs High School, Barstow would have dominated the tour-nament.

Both Rainey and Dudz-inski had few problems with their opponents during the state tournament, which took place at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.

Dudzinski, who played number two to Rainey the entire season, dropped just one game in her first round match, defeating Ellyn Turner of Chillicothe 6-1, 6-0. Later, she defeated Kelsey Franklin of Marshall 6-0, 6-3. Her performances earned her a spot in the next round.

Rainey dictated her opponents in the first round, shutting out Kara True from Charleston and overwhelming Courtney Jahn of Forsyth 6-0, 6-1 in the quar-terfinals. In the semi-finals, she easily sweated off Amy Ochs of Kirksville 6-0, 6-3 and advanced to the finals.

Dudzinski entered her semi-finals relaxed, but maintained a strong level of intensity. “I was in the top 4, lost in the semifinals to the reigning state champion, and felt great. I was going to play all out once again and grab third place just like Morgan did last year. I sort of laughed to myself, knowing that Susan Sullivan was going to be sandwiched on the podium by two Barstow kids. I always do whatever it takes to

win, though.”If Dudzinsiki had won in

the semi-finals, the final match would have been between her and Morgan. Unfortunately, Susan Sullivan proved to be the more experienced player of the match, defeating Dudzinski, 6-0, 6-1. Stephanie qualified for the third place match, while Rainey was set to face Sullivan (for her second time in two years) in the final match. Rainey knew she had a score to settle, after Sullivan beat her in the semis last year.

“I went into the match thinking that she’s a senior, and I have nothing to lose. I know she’s a great player, and I just went out and had fun and did the best I could, although I was not very happy afterwards. I think I was just over excited to be in the finals and that took away from my game,” said Rainey.

Earlier, in the District Tour-nament, Rainey and Dudzinski fought it out in the final match. According to Rainey, Dudzinski proved to be a tough opponent.

“It was a good match; she’s a fighter on the court. I think she and I both stepped up our games [against one another],” said Rainey

After the spectacular season Stephanie and Morgan had, as well as the rest of the Barstow girls tennis team, they were each able to cap it off with med-

als draped around their shoulders. According to them, the overall season was a good one.

Dudzinski said, “I always try to play to my greatest ability. I feel that I played very well, and the girls that beat me are just simply better than me. I went all out in ev-ery match and tried to do whatever it would take to win.”

Morgan felt strongly about

Rainey and Dudzinski Claim 2nd and 3rd at State

the undefeated season the team finished with, as well as her own success. “I’m happy with my suc-cess this season. Our team was glad to represent a 9-0 record for Barstow. Although we couldn’t beat Pembroke this year we definitely have a chance the next couple of years because we have such a young team.”

1/5 7:30 P.M. Awayvs. St. Mary’s

1/6 7:30 P.M. Away

vs. Maranatha 1/10 8:00 P.M. Away

vs. KC Christian 1/13 8:00 P.M. Away

vs. Bishop Seabury 1/17 8:30 P.M. Home

vs. Archie 1/20 8:00 P.M. Home

vs. Englewood Christian

UPCOMING VARSITY SCHEDULEboys’ Basketball

Coach: Fritz GablerTeam captains: Cody Johnson, Mike Koppe

Top Row (left to right): Taylor Hopkins, Kent Burton, Dan Williams, Uzair Mulla, Cody Lawrence, Greg Fox, Jon Christensen, Adam Hinkhouse, Ras Ricketts, Cody Johnson Middle Row (left to right): David Perilstein, Faakir Habeebullah, Brent Neihart, Nolan Christensen, J.D. Knapp, Mujtaba Hameed Bottom Row (left to right): Taylor Dock-horn, Terrance Jarvis, Brian Stamm

GIRLS’ BasketballCoach: Don Stelting Team captains: Brittney Schaumburg, Caitlin Riley

Top Row (left to right): Meredith Rock, Lauryn Perz, Caitlin Riley, Ravali Reddy, Christine Keith, Stephanie Oesch, Ashley Nur, Jewel Kawamoto. Bottom Row (left to right): Kristine Berg, Alexis Mladenoff, Macy Richey, Devin Regan, Danielle Blatt, Vicroria Willingham.

Morgan Rainey and Stephanie Dudzinski show off their silver and bronze medals after the Missouri State Tennis Tournament.

Basketball Begins: Introducing the Barstow Teams

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Dec. 9, 2005

B-LINE SPORTS

By Joey ShopmakerAfter losing an entire season to

a lockout, NHL players and own-ers ended an all-night bargaining session July 13, 2005, by reach-ing their goal: a tentative deal, expected to include a salary cap, which virtually ensured hockey would return in the fall.

Sure enough, the National Hockey League returned, receiv-ing praise from fans who had long awaited its return. For 301 days, hockey fans waited for sanity to return to the ice. The sport and its players were able to agree on a common ground and announce that a new collective bargaining agreement had been struck.

After reaching their agree-ment, players and owners pre-pared for a new season. The up-coming season would encompass the same amount of games plus some new rules. For example, overtime format changed. If a game is tied at the end of regula-tion time, the teams will play a four-on-four, sudden-death over-time period. If the game remains tied at the end of the five-minute overtime, a shootout will be used (three shooters per team; if teams still tied after three shots, then sudden death shootout).

NHL fans participated in market surveys and spoke out in overwhelming numbers, saying that they like the excitement of the four-on-four format. They also said they would like to see every game produce a winner. The addition of the shootout will add to the excitement and provide a result to every game. With a new overtime arrangement, the NHL Administration expects much more positive attention from skeptics across the nation.

In addition, the league insti-tuted some new, radical rules. They spoke to the fans, players, general managers, coaches, and executives from throughout the hockey world to receive input on changes that could make the

The NHL hopes 18-year-old prodigy Sydney Crosby will bring fans and excitment back to the sport.

game even better. The objectives of these new

rules are: let the skilled players play; to increase the number and quality of scoring chances; to maintain the physicality of the game; to discourage the utiliza-tion of defensive-oriented “tools” in order to encourage more offense; and to provide a more entertaining product.

Along with other minor changes, the NHL Administration instigated an organization known as the Competition Committee. This committee, comprised of NHL players, general managers, and owners, will ensure that the game is being played in a manner that emphasizes entertainment, skill, and competition. Obvious-ly, the league is aiming to please everyone in the NHL world.

There is still speculation as to how this new and “improved” association will maintain a stable image in the world of profes-sional sports. The league must have a lot more up its sleeve if it hopes to transcend the volatile image that it acquired during the 300-day lockout.

The NHL lost much of their fan base during the strike. Even-tually, the fans will return. Hock-ey has demonstrated throughout its history that it can generate and sustain a small but passionate fan base. The majority of those fans will return in due time, although others are done with the game at the NHL level for good.

Regardless of the return of older stars, the league remains in the hunt for a viable, well-round-ed image. They may have found it in the young phenomenon Sid-ney Crosby. The Administration hopes that he, by all accounts, is the future of the NHL and the glue that will hold it all together, even if it is vastly unstable.

Everyone that has seen Crosby play believes he is the real deal, a player capable of quickly dominating the NHL in the same

By Kellyn WielandLast year, the boys’ varsity

soccer team finished with a final record of six wins, sixteen losses, and one tie. With only one start-ing freshman and the loss of four seniors, few expected the 2005 season to have such a complete turnaround. Defying expectations, the team managed to more than double their number of total wins and cut their losses in half.

Sustaining defeats by larger schools such as Shawnee Mission North, Pembroke Hill, Bishop Miege, and Blue Springs, the

Young Soccer Team Bounces Back

way players like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Jaromir Jagr have done before him. Some have gone so far as to suggest that Crosby could be the savior for the league as it tries to rise from the ashes of its self-imposed lockout. By all means, that suggestion may be taking the hype a bit too far. After all, the NHL can’t carry on under the wings of a preco-cious 18-year-old ice king.

At times, hockey can prove to be a soporific snore-fest for many, but nonetheless, players like Crosby could rejuvenate this subjugated sport. With that said, there is no arguing that Crosby will bring about a buzz wherever he lands.

Only time will tell whether or not the NHL will stabilize itself under the radical new ideas it has instituted. Its return may usher in a new era of respect for the game or, like the NBA, which has lost so much support since its lockout, it will stumble and fall into the slums of many lackluster profes-sional sports.

team held the number five rank-ing in the state from the third week of the season until their defeat in the district tournament on November 1.

“This was by far the most exciting, intense playoff game I have been involved in here at Barstow,” said Coach Scott Huppe. “Two years ago, we would have been down 2-0 and everyone would have assumed that the game was over. This year, we fought and clawed up until the last second and simply came up short. I could not be any prouder

of these guys and what they have been through to experience a season like this. Barstow soccer is back.”

Despite the fact that the team is losing another four seniors, Huppe is optimistic about the future. “Pembroke Hill is losing around 13 guys. Next year, we’re definitely one of the favorites in our district,” said Huppe. “This season, we played big schools and might not have won against all of them, but the experience that we gained will really give us the edge for next year’s season.”

On Thin Ice: the NHL Returns

By Ashley NurThis year’s cross country

team, despite losing a strong senior class, showed resilience throughout the season. With veteran runners improving and younger ones learning the ropes, the season showed that the team has grown and shaped into a force to be reckoned with. “There were so many freshmen that came up this year like never before,” said Coach White.

Districts, held on October 29, reflected the running that this year’s team is known for. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams placed second and nabbed a spot at the state competition the following week. At State, the boys placed 11th, while the girls came in 15th overall.

“I think we were all were

Cross-Country Season Closes

Volleyball Team Looks Ahead

Freshman Jewel Kawamoto faired well during her first year on the Barstow cross-country team, placing 66th at State.

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By Kellyn Wieland After losing seven seniors

last year, the 2005 volleyball season was deemed as one for rebuilding. There were no se-nior members and only three ju-niors on this year’s team. Also, Coach Fritz Gabler brought in two new coaches, Lindsay Zimmerman and Dee Bruno, to work with the players.

But the girls managed a suc-cessful season despite the pos-sible setbacks of new coaching and young players. “The varsity girls were very pleased with the outcome of this season,” said junior May Schmidtlein. “The team lost a lot of valuable play-

ers last year, but we didn’t let that discourage us.”

Their regular season ended strongly with a total of 6 wins. The team made the semi-finals of districts but then lost to the defending district 15 champion, Carollton High School.

With no volleyball players graduating, the girls only have a chance to grow stronger and become more unified next fall. “We are hoping that next year’s team will be stronger, because we will be familiar with each other,” said sophomore Monica Woodhams. “And with the growing team, we can only improve our game.”

expecting to do better, but it was a tough competition,” said White.

Jewel Kawamoto placed 66th out of 155, and Bryan Neihart came in at 32nd out of 155. “So many had never run the course before, so it was nearly impossible for them to prepare something they’d never seen,” said White.

Although State proved to be a learning experience, the runners are already excited for next year. According to White, “what killed us were the hills, so hill training is something we are going to have to work on in the future.”

“Other than that,” according to Coach White, “the future of cross-country is looking really good.”

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The girls’ varsity volleyball players prepare for each game with a team cheer on the gym floor.

Successful Soccer Season Ends

Dec. 9, 2005

B-LINEPHOTO ESSAY

Students perform in Barstow’s production of Th e Diary of Anne FrankBack Stage PassBack Stage Pass