“If you bend, the dance will end” is a policy adopted by many schools in the Edmonds School District. The policy basically means that if any student is not dancing face to face with some space, the dance will end early and in some cases, the rest of the dances during the year will be canceled. During the Homecoming dance this year, space seemed like a foreign concept to students. Multiple students decided to ignore the rule, and ‘grind’ their homecoming date. Surprisingly, administration and chaperons did nothing. The only addressing of this rule was the DJ saying, “The students know the rules.” Last year’s Tolo dance had a lot of students grinding, completely ignoring the policy, and for the rest of the year, all the dances except Prom were canceled. Will administration address the dirty dancing policy at this school before the next dance, or will students look toward next year as a chance to show administration that they can dance face to face?

Bringing students together with spirit days

Homecoming was an exciting week for us at Terrace. It brought the student body together on fun spirit days such as Jazzercise Day. It was very interesting to see people encouraging others to dress up and seeing them enjoy putting themselves in character for the days. The homecoming dance was an excellent way to encourage student interaction, especially for the freshmen as it presented an opportunity to meet others at the school, even those outside of their own grade. We also liked how ASB brought back the Jester from the school year of 2008-2009, who stole the Homecoming court, which the classes had to rescue. Also, the way the Hawk football team lead the students in the “I believe that we will win” chant which was originally from Utah State University. Not only did we like how everyone seemed united by yelling the chant, but it seemed like there was no doubt that we would win. The uniting of the student body this year was spot on.

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Besides the “S” that they slapped on the title, they made very few modifications to make the new iPhone worth that two hundred dollar price tag. Only six major modifications were made to the iPhone 4S. First, a new A5 processor was added to allow graphics to reach your eye faster, yet the iPhone 4 had the same graphic quality that the iPhone 4S has, so it was somewhat pointless to add that to the new phone.

Also, a new operating system was added. All it does is make changes to what we can do on a certain screen and change the way we see things on the screen. It’s just a glorified update to the phone’s display. Like if you get a picture sent to you, you now have a new option to forward it instantly. You could already do that but now you can do it faster.

Apple says they have improved the camera by making the video camera 1080p software, which is the same as HD TV, yet the still camera was only improved by 3 megapixels from the iPhone 4, so that is a disappointment. While 1080p is impressive for a phone, that much detail will only be useful outside of a small-screened smartphone.

Another new feature that comes standard with the iPhone 4S is iCloud, an app version of the Cloud software for Macs. It takes all of your information such as music, photos, and apps and wirelessly transfers them to your other devices. iCloud does have one major flaw though. For most uses of iCloud, such as documents and apps, you can only push that content to other Apple devices. So unless you want to go buy a Mac or iPad to use iCloud with, you’re stuck with your iPhone as your cloud.

Finally, what Apple considers their best advancement of iPhone technology: the Siri app. It is a personal assistant that uses your voice to help you. It pulls up and runs apps based on your voice. If you want to find a good restaurant then tell it and it will run an app to find some. It does have some flaws. If you aren’t in a very quiet room then Siri is useless for the voice function. Also its fact checking mechanism is off a little. One review said that when Siri said that he needed a rain jacket it didn’t rain for 3 days. So until Siri gets the bugs worked out it really is not worth anything on the phone.

These modifications do not make the iPhone 4S worth trading up to. So instead of wasting your money on upgrading to the next cool phone, save your money until Apple puts out a product that is genuinely innovative.

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There is a perception among religious communities that some form of divine intervention has shown their people the true way. Yet somehow in a world where thousands of religions exist everyone has “evidence” that their religion is the only real one. It is obvious to all that it cannot be that all religions are true, and in the light of that they still attempt to pass off their religion as the only true one. Somehow while other religions are absurd and subject to criticism their own is considered the honest to goodness truth.

A perfect example of a normally ridiculed religion is Scientology. Across the globe Scientology is mocked for their belief that an ancient alien war was the cause for all human strife. Scientology has become synonymous with modern cult. If you start talking about Scientology in the public square as if it were fact you are almost assuredly going to be mocked openly. Yet somehow if you were to walk into the street and say that the reason for every woe in the world is that a woman was told by a talking snake to eat a cursed fig everyone immediately recognizes and in some respects accepts that belief as valid. There is no logical reason that one of these is considered insane when the other is just as impossible.

If someone were to come up to you and say that last night they rode to heaven on a magical flying horse you’d think they had spent the night consuming a large quantity of certain hallucinogens. Or perhaps not, because that is what people who adhere to the Islamic faith believe. They believe a man actually flew to heaven and had a chat with God himself who discussed the way people should live. Which strangely enough involved treating women as if they were property. This sort of absurdness is not limited to any faith in particular and by its very definition every single religion involves similar seemingly insane myths.

Worse than people somehow actually believing these stories and myths that have been passed from generation to generation they think it is OK to harass and threaten others who hold different faiths when logically theirs is just as absurd.

No religious text can substitute for real evidence. It doesn’t matter that that some book says the the world was created in seven days when all the evidence says it was created over the course of several hundreds of millions of years. There is no reason that others should be barred from learning simply because an established religion’s dogma disagrees, not because of an alternate scientific theory but instead in favor of the idea that “God did it.”

These groups somehow feel that they have the right to mock faiths such as Scientology when their own belief is just as absurd. The only difference is that instead of aliens, the Abrahamic religions believe in a talking snake. It takes a twisted person to harass these people, who have equally legitimate beliefs, yet when they themselves are targeted they claim hundreds of years of tradition as evidence to the validity of their religion.

Established beliefs shouldn’t be immune to questioning because if it were you wouldn’t even be reading this in the first place. The idea that something becomes true because you put faith in it is simply stupid. If it did make it true then no high school student would ever have to walk to school again, they’d all be flying. Faith is for those that refuse to actually attempt to learn about the world around. Having a lot of people that believe in a given faith likewise doesn’t lend credence to your arguments, if that were the case people actually would only use ten percent of their brains.

If there are going to be different beliefs they all either need to respect each other or refrain from preaching to the masses until such a date as they can prove their beliefs. In the United States of America everyone has the right to practice their religion as they wish and either you mock all religions or you mock none of them, no more preferential treatment to the established religions.

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We have to take into account that these news broadcasts are being written and presented by people with their own political views, and what we are getting may not always be fact.

Other times, we are presented with blatant, ignorant lies. Take Fox News, a network notorious for its right-wing bias. Their anchors and personalities constantly attack liberal points of view, and are often caught lying outright. For example, two panelists from the Fox News show “The Five” went on record as saying that there were no terrorist attacks during the presidency of George W. Bush.

“I don’t remember any terrorist attacks on American soil between 2000 and 2008,” said panelist Eric Bolling. As I’m sure we’re all aware, 2001 brought us one of the worst terrorist attacks in American history. Fox News also hyped up the rumor that Americans would be given Health Care based on their social worth (Death Panels.)

Conservatives would say that networks like MSNBC lie just as much as Fox, but there are far less examples of dramatic falsehoods in their news coverage. However, you could say that MSNBC does show a liberal bias, if only because of the time they spend talking about why Fox News is wrong, and having many people of left-wing persuasion on their programs.

The fact is that many people feel like the social distance of the figures they get their news from alienates them from their own opinions.

With this in mind, we needn’t look far for the people who can offer a sane opinion about politics. Many musicians in the ’60s and ’70s wrote protest songs about being unhappy with their government. These days, the Average Joe of American life is greatly represented by our modern comedians.

“I think the reason that satire is on the rise is because the real news is so bad right now,” says comedy writer Andy Borowitz. “I’d love it if we lived in the world where there was nothing to satire, but given this world, people need satire and comedy right now. …[Humor] enables us to look at the horrible things going on and survive [them].”

One of the most prominent political comedians of our time is Jon Stewart. Stewart, who hosts the nine-time Emmy winning program “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, has to wade through a sea of injustice to get to the depressingly hilarious truth every night.

In a recent segment, “GOP: Special Victims Unit,” he put together a stunning montage of attacks on the left from Fox News correspondents, after they claimed the Liberal media constantly played the “victim card,” meaning they complained that conservatives constantly attacked them.

Stewart also put together a rally with fellow late-night political comic Stephen Colbert called “The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.” The rally was just a reminder to everyone that even though times are bad, we don’t need to look for someone to blame it on.

We’re in trouble, but we don’t need to lose our heads. With other great political comics like Bill Maher, Lewis Black, and the late George Carlin to laugh with, it’s safe to say that we can rely on humor to put our world in perspective.

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Until you have had to pat down the opposite sex or a child’s genitalia, you should not mock or criticize the TSA.

This is disconcerting for most people despite their job description including pat downs. If anyone has ever been patted down or has performed a pat down it is still an uncomfortable experience.

Some may say it is unnecessary to pat down kids, however this is an incorrect assumption; there is an old Chinese proverb that goes, “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me.”

During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong would use children holding fruit baskets filled with explosives to kill American soldiers. This creates a legitimate reason for the TSA to screen children, just because the United States doesn’t use children in war doesn’t mean that others won’t.

The TSA is a valuable organization, not only because it catches terrorist threats but also because it prevents them. Many people assume the TSA hasn’t done their job because they haven’t “caught” someone. The opposite is true, the TSA acts as a deterrent and as an active procedure for terrorist activities, and simply by existing it helps to secure transportation in the United States. The TSA’s mission statement is to “Protect the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.”

The TSA has a more silent than overt effect; if someone is caught then the deterrence factor has not succeeded. Give the TSA some credit because even though you may not like the way they do things, they are doing it for your safety and the safety of the thousands who fly every day. For people that fly one or two times a year, the procedures that the TSA use may appear extreme. But on the flip side, if you are a frequent traveler, someone who travels every 2-3 weeks, then the TSA’s security procedures are much more likely to be seen in a positive light. If you were to compare three minutes of extended searching to death, extended searching would without a doubt be more desirable.

The amount of criticism the TSA receives compared to criticism the FBI or your local Police department receives, the TSA receives much more, even though there are thousands of unsolved murders. People may justify the methods the police or the FBI use because they must receive warrants from judges, which involves bringing in another authority, however TSA agents could get warrants to search people, but the amount of time required could be days depending on the judge. This isn’t feasible as there are hundreds of people waiting in line to leave the airport or enter the terminals. There is no time to call a judge and get a warrant; the TSA agent must decide using the best of their abilities then and there what to do. Being a TSA agent is a high stress job, because if you miss one thing it could mean the end of hundreds if not thousands of lives.

The TSA may be criticized but it seems that the more criticism your airport receives the safer the airport. The most secure international airport in the entire world is Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel. Ben Gurion Airport is the only international airport in Israel and it is also the most heavily criticized airport. They constantly are accused of racial profiling and abuse of power, yet Ben Gurion has not seen a terror attack since May 30, 1972. That is more than 39 years ago. Israel only declared independence in 1948. This means that Israel has been safe from airborne terror attacks for more than half of its statehood.

Representative John Mica of Florida says that the United States should just adopt the Israeli method of psychological profiling, but it is not possible in the United States, as the judicial system has banned all uses of profiling as a method of screening. Psychological profiling is to have a trained professional who is well paid and under constant review to interview persons entering the country. If the professional screener determines that a person may be a threat, the person can be taken aside for additional screening; these interviews can last anything from a minute to an hour. However, until the U.S. judicial system alters its viewpoint, there will be full body scanners and pat downs instead of profiling.

The TSA is like China’s great wall, there are soldiers behind it, but the point of the great wall was to keep people out so that that army doesn’t have to fight.

Next time you go to the airport, plan ahead and don’t blame the TSA for your missed or late flight, because if they weren’t there, your next flight could very well be your last.

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The usual hot button topics of gay marriage and marijuana legalization are there en masse, but there was one petition that stood out. The petition called for the Transportation Security Administration to be disbanded and funds reallocated to more direct forms of security. With 20,000 signatures within less than a week, public officials are sure to take note.

Originally formed after 9/11, the TSA was intended to protect the average citizen from terrorists and others who wanted to harm the U.S.A.. Whether or not the TSA has prevented acts of terrorism is of some debate but in a press conference on Aug. 21 this year, the TSA claimed a system of over 20 layers of security as well as intent to custom fit screening procedures for each person. As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 has come and gone, questions must be asked of the continued relevance of the TSA.

The TSA, if it were needed before, is questioned now because we have entered a unique time. It is a time where our greatest foes have been scattered; Osama Bin Laden is dead, al Qaeda is fragmented, Libya is busy fighting a civil war, and Egypt has overthrown a dictator. Such strict “security measures” serve only to take away from the common citizen what they intend to protect.

This irrelevancy was compounded with security decisions that unnecessarily affect citizens. In November 2010, the TSA stepped up their security procedures to include new backscatter X-ray machines which would theoretically detect non-metal weapons as well as hastening the lines. Many criticized this as a big brother action that paves the way to even more rights stripped away with the fear of terrorism being the excuse.

News has been fraught with TSA agents going above and beyond to search citizens who no logical person would consider a threat. In June of this year, a 95 year old woman was forced to remove her adult diaper because of security fears. It is extremely unlikely, to the point of absurdness that a 95 year old woman is going to bring a bomb into a plane, especially when the groups we fear the most think of women as something that are to be seen and not heard. The TSA has a horrible track record of blanket policies that spark public outrage, such as an 8-month-old child who was pat down in May this year because the stroller flagged explosive screening. Such barbaric tactics seem out of place in a world where terrorist groups are closely monitored.

Ever since 9/11 the average citizen knows that the moment a plane becomes hijacked all bets are off. No one is going to sit around anymore and hope for the best, the simple fact is that we live in a society that is more aware of the dangers facing it and no longer are we surprised by these acts of aggression.

However, do not mistake the situation for something it is not, there are still groups today that want the United States to fall, and just because they are currently in disarray does not mean they could not rally under a new leader tomorrow. But this chance of danger will always be present, whether or not you are fighting a war in a thousand places or whether you try to offend as few people as possible. Just because we want to be safe does not mean we should give up even the smallest luxury to reinforce that safety.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” This has never been truer than in the digital age, in which sophisticated satellites can track the movement of every airplane and where emergency services are three swift thumb movements away.

The United States would be better off if we were to suffer a thousand terrorist attacks than give up one iota of personal freedom for the modicum of safety we would gain. The events of 9/11 should be seen as a chance to correct our faults and face the world with its varied ideologies rather than retreat inside and defend ourselves.

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As upcoming assemblies are quickly approaching, the main theme seems to be centered on sports rather than the arts or academics. Only once a year is there an opportunity for MTHS art students to let their talent shine at the arts assembly, as opposed to the three seasonal assemblies dedicated to sports. As well as having great athletes, MTHS is home to many great artists, thespians and musicians who have won many awards. The school should showcase student talent in other areas, too, such as robotics, DECA, and Hi-Q, not just athletics. The school should give all students an equal chance to show off their skills. Although athletics require much talent, there are more than 20 clubs and after school activities that offer students a place to share common interests. So if you feel like assemblies do not show enough variety of the many student interests at this school, there is still time to change; we just need to speak up.

Anti-bullying message is unnecessarily forced too much at this school

This Wednesday, a long advisory will be held to address the issue of harassment and bullying. Last year, then-senior Jessica Williams put together an “anti-bullying” themed spirit week, which included labeling the hallways “Hug Hallway” and “High Five Hallway.” An assembly concluded the spirit week with a speaker address bullying. This year, our Back to School Assembly featured Stu Cabe, a speaker who spoke about the bully and the bullied. Now, MTHS students will be required to sit though an hour long advisory period, listening to advisors ramble on about bullying. Honestly, the school district is putting too much emphasis on bullying.

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Since Murphy’s departure, some female students have found a concern that has left them with questions like these; what female administrator can we talk to about personal problems, like sexual harassment, and how can we talk to a guy about feminine issues?

If girls do have problems, we now have nobody to talk to. Yes, we do have the school’s psychiatrist or teachers, but we don’t have an administrator to talk to. An administrator would be able to put a stop to the problem, or help us somehow a lot sooner than a teacher could. If we talk to a teacher or some other person on MTHS staff, then there are even more people that they have to go through to get something done about the problem.

If we had an assistant principal or somebody with more power on the MTHS staff, then she could talk to the school board if the problem is that big, or she might be able to help us because she would have a higher position of authority that could benefit our problems.

But female teachers might also find it rather awkward to talk to a male administrator about a problem. Yes, the staff is very nice and willing to help, but some girls are not comfortable talking to a male administrator.

Principal Greg Schwab, and assistant principals Scott Morrison and Peter Schurke are always there to help, but that’s not the point. It’s great that they are there to talk to, but it’s uncomfortable to talk about something that a woman would better understand than a man. Even though they are nice, they can be a little intimidating to talk to.

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Disregarding the studies and statistics that show that teenagers need as much sleep as when they were babies, the Edmonds School District has brilliantly decided to push the schedule forward; adding 20 minutes to the beginning of school instead of the end. Along with this, the bell schedule has been tinkered with so badly in a failed attempt to fill the day as much as possible, the beginning and end of classes are at times that would take some serious effort to memorize. Since we now have to get up earlier, teachers be prepared for exhausted students for the first week. Hopefully these times don’t get more ridiculous when they’re looked at again at the end of the quarter.

Twenty-one years later

Finally, after 21 years, this building has completely received new carpets, had major work done on the roof, and even had security cameras installed. The incoming freshmen will be able to walk on carpets that aren’t 20 years old, but they won’t know the ease of eating during class. For those who aren’t new to the school, you will no longer be forced to endure extreme hots and colds during class thanks to an apparently major upgrade to the ventilation system.

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This law has appropriately been nicknamed the “Facebook Law,” although the official name of the law is the “Amy Hestir Student Predators Act.” This law restricts teachers from adding their students as friends on Facebook, amongst other social networking sites.

In response to this new prohibition, a teacher decided to sue the state because of an unfortunate loophole in the law, preventing her from adding her own children on social sites. Christina Thomas filed a nine-page complaint to the state saying that the law violates her 1st and 14th amendment rights.

Thomas said, “There are better ways to prevent teacher misconduct than infringing on free speech by blocking contact on social media sites.”

This law was put into action because the Ladue School District said that current students or graduates are not allowed to have “exclusive communications” like a one-on-one study group, that are not from a work-related site. Many sexual relations between teachers and students can start with a simple message, such as “how do I do this math problem,” said Missouri state Sen. Jane Cunningham.

There are controversies on whether this law is agreeable. Charol Shakeshaft, a professor of educational leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University said that the Facebook law is a good way to tackle sexual abuse by teachers in public school, since sexual relationships can start online.

The judges that were part of the trial of the teacher said that it would be an “unseemly and dangerous precedent to allow the state, in the guise of school authorities, to reach into a child’s home and control his/her actions there to the same extent that it can control that child when he/she participates in school-sponsored activities.”

Of course this law has been designed to maintain the safety of students, but Facebook is a great way for teachers to let students know that an assignment is due or something is changed in the assignment. The only way a student could possibly add teachers, is if their parents have full access to their profiles and no teenager wants their parents to be spying on them. Most likely they will be talking to friends, not a teacher on the Internet.

The full bill states: “No teacher shall establish, maintain, or use a work-related internet site unless such site is available to school administrators and the child’s legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian. No teacher shall establish, maintain, or use a non-work-related internet site which allows exclusive access with a current or former student.”

In one day, a judge had the bill terminated from taking effect because the law would be “chilling” on free speech.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon cancelled the termination. Schools there are forced to make written policies for this law.

There are some teachers at MTHS who won’t add students nonetheless.

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