Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin gave a speech at the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville this month. Apparently it’s hard to remember “energy, tax cuts, and lifting American spirits” because Mrs.Palin had written these bullet points on her left palm.  This is extremely interesting because while campaigning, Palin accused Pres. Obama of being a “a charismatic guy with a teleprompter.” Mrs. Palin was spotted looking to her hand after being asked the question, “What would be the top three talking points a Republican Majority Congress would need to focus on?” I would say at least Pres. Obama uses a teleprompter instead of showing the world he has trouble remembering the top focuses of his party by looking down at his hand like a third grader cramming for a math test. This incident, to me, should completely disqualify her from running in the 2012 election. It’s like having your test thrown away for cheating. Think about your everyday life: how much do you have to remember?   Geometry theorems, the periodic table of elements, and that’s not even fourth period! Yet what if Mrs. Palin has trouble remembering the nuclear codes? Do we trust a Bic and a sweaty palm to keep that secret?
So why can’t a former vice presidential candidate remember her party’s three main objectives? The real question is why does she attack others for flaw she has demonstrated during her fifteen minutes? Ignorance aside, this type of hypocrisy is ridiculous. How much more evidence do we need to realize her tactics of mindless agitation are a simple ploy. Voters need to seek thoughtful politicians who are educated and sophisticated enough to represent themselves with dignity. Besides, Teleprompters do not smudge

As you might have noticed during the past year, a lot of change has come to Lincoln High School’s music department, namely the hiring of Brett Nosure and Chris Watson along with the extensive renovation of the band and orchestra facilities. While things have remained fairly usual, Thursday February 25th will mark the first orchestral rock performance by the Lincoln High Orchestra. Lead by Brett Nosure and Dan Ehly, the orchestra will play a variety of popular rock songs including Viva la Vida by Coldplay, Kashmir by Led Zeppelin, and the theme from the popular video game, Halo. If the concert on the 25th goes well, an annual LHS orchestral rock concert may become part of their performing season. Come see the very first Lincoln High band and orchestra concert in the new Ted Sorensen theatre February 25th and 7:00pm!

When I drive to school, I want to listen to music.  I don’t want to hear about what Matt McKay thinks of Lindsey Lohan’s latest fiasco.  I just want to find energy to get me excited about starting school at 6:45 A.M.  Let me listen to “Tik Tok”  or “I Gotta Feeling!”

Two juniors from Lincoln High agree with me and decided to take charge with a literal charge of wattage.  Radio wattage, that is.  Marya Case-Ruchala and Phalin Strong, juniors from Lincoln High and the Arts & Humanities Focus Program, are now on the air!  Every Monday from 6 to 7:30 in the morning, on station KZUM (89.3 FM) these young women hold court as dics jockeys before their school day begins. Strong and Case-Ruchala play as much music as they can while still offering some lyrical relief to talk about the music they’re playing.

Case-Ruchala explains why she was interested in starting her own show, “I was just kind of tired of listening to either bad music or talk shows in the morning.”  Luckily, her step-father was given a radio show that he did not want to take on, so he offered it to her.  She and Strong are now playing music they enjoy over the airwaves before school and having a blast doing it.

The world’s technological community has recently been posing a question as to whether there is room in the already wide spectrum of gadgets for a device that falls somewhere in between the smart phone and the laptop computer.  On the 27^th of January, Apple answered this question with an audacious “Yes” as they unveiled the revolutionary and innovative iPad.

With the exception of a few critics, most of Apple’s fans seem to be accepting the iPad for the revolutionary product that Steven Jobs (Apple CEO) asserts it to be.  The Wall Street Journal even issued a statement saying, “Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.”

This much anticipated masterpiece features a vibrant 9.7-inch LED display with multi-touch technology.  With available 16, 32 or 64 Gigabyte hard drive capacities, there is more than enough space for any of 140,000 applications offered by the App Store. With it’s large display and nearly actual sized Qwerty keyboard, the endless possibilities of the World Wide Web are literally at your fingertips.

Apple developed an entirely new online store to provide for the iPad’s cutting-edge iBook-reading capabilities.  Finding, purchasing and downloading an iBook is easier than grabbing one from your bedside table, and much more convenient.

Skeptics are questioning Apple’s decision to introducing a device of the iPad’s imaginative magnitude.  Jobs’ judgment is being called into question as some critics claim that the gadget market has no need for the features that the iPad offers.  The object it’s self is completely innovative, but for the most part, its capabilities are already being put to use by smart phones or laptops.  On the other hand, the similar doubt arose when the Jobs introduced the iPod, which became a global phenomenon, selling over 240,000,000 units worldwide.  Perhaps the iPad will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, though it will be quite a position to fill.

The icy season is a treacherous time for all travelers.  Whether walking, biking or driving, road conditions are crucial to the safety those audacious enough to venture into the uncertainty of these man-made trails.  Extreme low temperatures and high levels of snow occurring in 2010 have only served to increase the potential peril facing Lincoln’s public.  Along with sheets of ice eliminating traction, drivers face hazards that cannot be nullified by big-ticket tires or a trunk full of sandbags; Potholes.

For anyone who has yet to experience their terror, potholes are craters that form where tires touch pavement.  As water from melting ice and snow seeps into pavement, asphalt weakens.  Below-freezing temperatures solidify water in pavement, causing it to expand and further weaken and crack.  Cars then drive over these brittle areas of concrete displacing large chunks and creating menacing craters of various sizes.

Frequently traveled streets in Lincoln have suffered incredible destruction this season.  Drivers can be seen swerving about, often from lane to lane in an attempt to dodge the cavernous craters that threaten to jostle cars to the core.  Several of the potholes lurking around town are deeper than most tires are tall.  A collision with a pothole of this magnitude could pop a tire or bend an axle.

For most of us, this issue hits even closer to home, or rather school, because we have come to know so well the two-feet-deep monster pothole in Lincoln High’s south parking lot.  Most, if not all students of driving age will claim to have “personal beef” with this small-scale black hole.

Action is finally being taken as road crews can now occasionally be seen heroically filling potholes where they once victimized small cars.  Our very own Lincoln High pothole was recently defeated by a noble and much anticipated road crew.  As subzero weather draws to a potential close, automobile owning residents of Lincoln breathe a sigh of relief.  Another Nebraska winter of safe driving in the books.

As many LHS students know, the transfer process from middle school to high school in LPS isn’t very complicated. In fact, middle school students coming from a different district only need to fill out one form with a parent signature to transfer in, a much less complicated process than expected.  Which begs the question: why do students transfer to Lincoln High from other high school districts.

A big pull for incoming freshman is the IB program, about one third of the IB students have transferred from another district area according to John Heineman, the head of the program. IB students Tyler York (9) and Catherine Burns (9) both also cite music as one of the reasons they transferred into the LHS district.  Principal Dr. Mike Wortman told a visiting LPS Advisory Board on Wednesday, February 3rd, that another allure to Lincoln High School is history.  He stated that as many as four generations have attended LHS.

A dominant allure to Lincoln High is its diversity.  Jon Felix (9) a student that was meant to attend East says, “There wasn’t much diversity at Lux, I wanted a change of scene,” the diverse environment at LHS isn’t exactly what he expected, but Felix is has enjoyed his time at LHS so far.  Typically, what drives students to other schools is what is offered outside of the classroom.  Lincoln High’s sports teams, especially basketball, along with our award winning marching band and Theatre department, also pull in transferring students. In short, Lincoln High School has the variety that middle school students are looking for, and the diversity high school students certainly appreciate.

In 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie took pen to paper, as Quincy Jones took to the boards.  The reason for the amalgamation of star power: relief for those affected by the then-recent famine in Ethiopia. The result: “We Are The World,” a star studded, if pretty cheesy, 7:02 sing along, featuring a who’s-who of 80’s music: the aforementioned MJ and Lionel, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, and a room full of others.  For all it’s ridiculous celebrity ego-stroking, it did eventually raise $51.2 million for it’s cause.  And also now serves as wonderful shorthand for the 80s in general. (It would also be followed by the gargantuan “Live Aid” concert, which also raised approximately $283.6 Million.)
It is now 2010.  25 years, AKA, a quarter century since the roundup of We Are The World.  And since the 21st century, so far, has made a career out of recycling every last bit of 80’s shorthand, what could make more sense than “We Are The World 25.”  With no need for reminder, Haiti, on January 12th, was struck by a catastrophic 7.0 earthquake, leaving damage, death, and disorientation in its wake. And of course, being the creative hotbed American mainstream culture is, some of our biggest stars were so inspired, they decided to go out of their way and repurpose a song meant for a different cause in it’s entirety.  But of course, adding a “southern bounce,” courtesy of Wyclef Jean. Nice!  The track was already in planning to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original, but when Haiti fell victim to it’s unexpected crisis, it was decided without argument that the focus and funds would be directed towards aiding the country in its time of need.  Much like 1985, the session was held within hours after the Grammy Awards, similar to the original’s final night of completion directly after the American Music Awards.
If nothing else, rest assured that the original lineup of We Are The World looks more like an awkward family picnic compared to the gigantic, distorted amalgamation of ego/pretense/some people that were old enough to be on the original “We Are The World,” but weren’t. (Note: No one from the original “We Are The World” is on it.)
Kanye West is there, surely to inform everyone that (although he is quite happy to take part in the event) California indeed has the best earthquakes of all time (See VMAs).  Drake is there to spit mildly impressive punchlines, and holler at the ladies in this time of need.  Snoop Dogg is there to bring some American wholesomeness to the event. (The interesting part is, that’s not really a joke.) Lady Gaga is there to aid the Haitians in style, while Lil Wayne is there, of course to…um…well what is Lil Wayne there for?  Regardless of any opinions on the artist makeup or otherwise, the single will make it’s premiere within footage of it’s actual recording session, during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on February 12th.

Every year Lincoln Public Schools hold their graduations at Pershing Auditorium.  The site of Pershing Auditorium is also where the original Lincoln High School once stood.  Just as the original Lincoln High School building was deemed old and out of step with the times, Pershing Auditorium is now fielding the same complaints.  Talk of a new arena has grown louder since Omaha built the Qwest Center and since the Antelope Project has diverted 17th Street from a straight path to the Bob Devaney Sports Center.  Will the new arena plan for Lincoln be built or will they basically deny people new jobs and entertainment? The new Arena will bring new jobs for thousands and more. The new Arena will have a hotel attached and will have jobs for people which will lessen the unemployment level. The area that will be taken is down in the Haymarket right on the west side of the train tracks, next to the Post Office. It would bring a new area to with a street just for pedestrians. You would be able to walk easily to and from the arena.  Additionally, there would be stores and street venders aligning the tourist-friendly street.

One concern of the proposed plan is the location.  According to the information found in the West Haymarket Integration Plan, is that the plan borders alongside a flood zone.  If the so-called “one hundred-year flood” happens, the water from the Salt Creek, could potentially flood the area.

The new entertainment drawn to Lincoln, and luxury of a modern arena will be nice but they need to vote first instead of just deciding on if they should even vote. But the problem is where would the money come from?  Lincoln City Council will debate and determine if the proposal will be on the ballot for Lincoln citizens in May.  Obviously, the economic recession will be a major factor for all sides of the debate.

The other night I was working on homework when it hit me. It had been about three minutes since I had checked my Facebook page.  I rushed down to my basement and hopped on the computer. Had anything changed? Well, someone went from single to “it’s complicated.”  Below that was another post about a friend who was now “single.”  Twelve comments then followed as people had written things like, “ummm?” or “what?” or “so are you free on Saturday.”

So the world was fine.  Nothing crazy had happened in the last three minutes (that is if you don’t count a friend of mine becoming a fan of “brushing your teeth”).  No one had written on my wall, I was still ranked #4 best companion on a dessert island, and the side bar was still trying to get me to go on a college visit to some school in Vermont.

So why do people have this reliance and obsession of Facebook?  Why do we feel the need to find out when friends are “off to the movies” or “procrastinating doing homework” or joined the group “save the pandas!”  Why do we stalk people’s wall posts? Why have countries such as China gone so far as to ban our dear social networking site?

What’s wrong with talking on the phone or talking face to face, or even that Stone Age concept of hand writing letters to people you know and care about?

In early January there was a 62 year-old veteran who appeared on American Idol where he sang his original song “Pants on the Ground.”  According to the Boston Phoenix, it only took two hours for the newly made facebook group of “Pants on the Ground” to reach 45 thousand members.  The group soon grew to 300 thousand and as of January 28^th it stands at 2.8 million members strong.  That means that 2.8 million facebook users took time away from their days to search “pants on the ground,” join the group, check out the lyrics, and probably look at all the uploaded pictures.  To be fare, I must admit that I am one of those people.

Now that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  “Pants on the Ground” is a catchy song.  But is all of Facebook just leading to fun and games?  According to a study done by CyberPsychology & Behavior Journal, it’s not.

The study asked participants simple questions like, “How likely are you to monitor your partner’s activities on Facebook? and “How likely are you to become jealous after your partner has added an unknown member of the opposite sex?” “How likely are you to monitor your partner’s activities on Facebook?” The results were (in a nutshell) that even the smallest things that a person does on Facebook often cause their partner to become jealous.  It also showed that people “stalk” their partners on Facebook just to make sure that nothing is going on with any other fish in the pond.

But it doesn’t just stop with relationships.  Hubpages.com recently published an article titled “10 Ways to Ruin Your Employment Through Social Networking Sites.”  This tells how many jobs have been lost through facebook in various situations.

We now live in a world where there are about 6.8 billion people, 315 million of them American, and over 300 million of them have facebook accounts.  We’ve come a long ways since those dark times in 2004 when we used to talk with our friends and families face to face.  Facebook has improved our lives in many ways.  It has brought old friends together and helped long distance relationships work.  I just urge you to remember the people in your life.  Spend more time with them then on facebook.  Go for a walk with a sibling, learn to bake a cake, and remember, don’t sag your pants, because someone might write a song and make a group of nearly 3 million to unite against you.