Walk Has a Special Year

Students raise a record $109,800 in effort — by Sean Barber ’06

As students and faculty members gathered in the courtyard by the Holy Companions Chapel after the Walk for X to enjoy a complimentary lunch served by the varsity football players, many were astounded. Mr. Roderick Hinton announced that the total collection for the Walk was a record, a whopping $109,800.

Umm... yeah. That was a long time ago – five weeks, to be precise. But this was the first issue since the Walk. That’s the problem of publishing an issue only once a month. All the newsworthy stories happen right after an issue goes to print. And that’s why blogs can be much more reliable for school news.

Disclosure: I myself am the editor of a weblog – namely, this one.

Debate is Spirited

Participants are passionate with views — by Sid Deka ’05

For the debate, Sharma, leader of the Young Democrats, assembled Papa Takougang’05 [sic], Sidhartha Deka ’05, Mark Murphy ’05, Dan Larsen ’05 to argue for liberal positions.

I’m sorry, but journalistic standards must have something against a reporter writing about himself! True, he didn’t make any comments about himself, but it sounds a bit strange talking about yourself in the third person… ’05.

And if you want to really follow journalistic convention, you’re supposed to put a little Disclosure note in the text to indicate a possible conflict of interest, like I did earlier.

College Application Stress Simplified

By Jonathan Bell ’05

I, personally, have opted for a Zen-like attitude believing that what is meant to be will happen. There is no point in worrying about matters we can’t control.

Uh… huh. As long as your design validates, Master Bell.

In an attempt to ease the streeses [sic] of college-bound seniors, the below application essay has been posted to add levity to the often hectic and worrisome application process. While we wish we could take credit for the essay, it was written by an anonymous applicant.

I breed prize-winning clams. I have won bull fights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin.

I’m positive I’ve read that essay before.

But I have not yet gone to college.

True.

Korea the Real WMD Threat

By Frank Luther ’05

Team America’s portrayal of Kim Jong Il puts a humorous gloss on a dangerous man. In the movie, he has fatty folds on his face, oversized glasses, and wispy hair, just like he does in real life. His accent makes even his most diabolical schemes sound childish.

Politics is always best as claymation. Or in Flash.

By the way, have you heard about Kim Jong Il’s honorary title and posters being removed?

Students Fail to Form Own Opinion

By Papa Takougang ’05

… I started to have political discussions with people, and most, if not all, had no idea of [sic] they were talking about. “John Kerry flip-flops and will be weak on the warr on terror.’ “George Bush is only in Iraq for oil.’ From both Democrats and Republics [sic] alike, all I got was propaganda; phrases and sentiments that were blared on KISS 107.1 at the top of every hour, and shown on TV during every commercial break of Real World. …

That’s what I said. Thinking minds think alike.

The problem is that no student seemed to actually take the time to carefully research the candidates’ stances and formulate their own opinion; rather, for whatever reason they were already predisposed to one candidate or another. Those whose parents are professionals and well off were for Bush because of the tax cuts, and everyone else, including the minorities, were for Sen. Kerry, because they are “supposed” to be democratic.

Earlier in the article, Papa says he found it “refreshing to hear” that everyone was shouting “Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!” in the halls. This chant is to me the epitomy of blind support for Bush.

It’s catchy. It’s loud. It’s simple. Indeed, it’s a psychological ploy. And who wasn’t chanting it on November 2^nd?

I wasn’t. And it’s not because I’m a minority. As I said before, being a minority simply isn’t important to me. I supported Kerry because he supports my views the best (aside from Nader).

In fact, as Albert Trinh can attest to, Vietnamese-Americans were generally for Bush this year, because of the whole Swift boat controversy.

… In the end, intelligence is only useful if you know how to use it; clearly, not being able to think for yourself only wastes it.

A “Woman” and Proud of It

Signed, Mrs. Melinda Michael

… I thought that maybe the “politically correct” student of the twenty-first centry would never stoop so low.

Unfortunately, the culture at St. X encourages students to forget about the other gender. While on-campus, you can essentially throw out political correctness, because were all males. That’s diveorsity, right?

But Mrs. Michael’s letter reminds us that the other gender is watching. But it shouldn’t need to. If we are to be “men and women with and for others,” we should know what is right. We should know what our place is. We should know that others have their place too. And there’s nothing wrong with their places.

Faculty Feature: Mr. John Hussong

After 41 years, Hussong is still going strong — Will Barett ’05

… Few among the student body would know that Mr. Hussong actually served in the military. At Fort Bragg in North Carolina, he was in support of the 18^th Airborne Corps and the 82^nd Airborne Division. During the 1950’s, Hussong taught army intelligence for two years during a volatile time when America was deeply entrenched in the Cold War. …

I had no idea. And that might explain why he makes sure we know our battles in Quiz Team. (He has Mr. Weisbrod to back him up, of course.)

Even if one were to have conflicting views with Mr. Hussong, respect is certainly deserved.

Will writes that because he is an outspoken Republican, and Mr. Hussong is a professed Democrat – he still has the Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker displayed prominently, and the Gore/Lieberman sticker underneath, still partially visible.

He’s one of the few people at our school who’s brave enough to declare his Democratic affiliation outside of campaign season.

Summer Mission Trips Powerful

By Adam Hansmann ’06

I still have to post some reflections from the Chicago trip that I’d like to share with you. Let’s just call this an exercise in procrastination.

Student Council = Awesome

Weber administration has already shown promise

What’d I tell you?

St X Features

Edited by Mark Murphy

A bit of faculty PR…

Ms. Donna Moore

Her photo is backwards: pay attention to the Signed Late Slips bin in front of her.

Student Council Expresses Itself

*shakes-head*

An Article So Long No One Will Want to Read It

And yet, They Read it Anyways… Those Crazy Orks — by Joe Besl ’05

Tell me, what was that about? ’Cause I honestly have no idea.