Washington Kavanaugh - The A-Blast

Washington                   clashes                over
Kavanaugh
When people mention President Trump’s most recent Supreme
Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, there is a lot to discuss.
Kavanaugh’s perspectives on issues, his past, his sexual
assault allegations and so on.

Judge Kavanaugh’s perspectives on controversial issues convey
his support for the conservative legal movement. It’s funny
that this scandal just so happens to pop up just as President
Trump’s heavily conservative appointee is being voted on. The
Democrats are using Dr. Christine Ford as an excuse to
postpone the vote past the midterms.

When asked about details, Dr. Ford replied indecisively,
saying she doesn’t remember much details of that day, which is
weird considering it’s such a life changing, traumatizing
experience. Swearing under oath, witnesses Dr. Ford provided
came out saying that they don’t recall any of this.

Regarding a case in the fall 2017 where an undocumented 17
year old in immigration detention sought an immediate
abortion, Judge Kavanaugh disagreed with the majority opinion,
saying they wrongfully created “a new right for unlawful
immigrant minors in U.S. government detention to obtain
immediate abortion on demand.”

Senate leader Mitch McConnell announced that he is invoking
closure so the democrats cannot filibuster the Kavanaugh
nominee, meaning the vote will take place on Oct 6. “I’m
filing closure on Judge Brett Kavanaugh nomination this
evening so the process can move forward,” said Senator
McConnell. And the process should move forward because
shocker, nothing has been found.

Despite all this, democrats like Senator Dianne Feinstein,

seeing the results and calling their beloved investigation
wrong. They mention people not being interviewed during the
investigation, and that is because they could provide no
corroborating evidence. Both sides are trying to convince
undecided senators.

Starting in late July and continuing over six weeks till the
midterms, there is no excuse that this scandal is where it’s
at. This has been the seventh background investigation which
is the last edition to what is the most comprehensive review
of a Supreme Court nominee in history. This includes extensive
hearings, multiple committee interviews, over 1200 words, and
half a million pages of documents. The Senators had a 51-49
vote to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to the final floor vote
on Oct 5. Key players in the vote were Senators Susan Collins,
Jeff Flake, and Joe Manchin who all voted to advance
Kavanaugh. At the time of publication, the final floor vote
has not happened yet.

Republicans are urging each other to confirm Kavanaugh,
especially due to the fact that President Trump ordered the
FBI’s investigation into the sexual assault allegations
against Kavanaugh.
The FBI investigation found that there were many
inconsistencies with the witnesses’ stories, and may be
inconclusive. No evidence was found to conclude a sexual
assault by Brett Kavanaugh.
People view this case as a man getting accused of sexually
assaulting a girl after 36 years and democrats trying to run
him down. And now we have the media trying to latch on to
every rumor trying to diminish Kavanaugh’s chances of getting
appointed. You accuse a guy of gang rape, and you rummage
through his yearbook and agenda and your big argument now is
that he “lied in his yearbook.” That all seems like they’re
using every excuse and every rumor to get Kavanaugh.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, was
infuriated with Kavanaugh’s testimony, saying, “Boy y’all want

power, God I hope you never get it, I hope the American people
can see through this sham… To my Republican colleagues, if you
vote no, you are legitimizing the most despicable thing I’ve
ever seen in my time in politics.”

One woman, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford claims that she is “100
percent” sure that Brett Kavanaugh assaulted her when they
were in high school.
On Sept 27. Dr. Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary
Committee for around four hours. Dr. Ford gave a very
emotional testimony, as she depicted the allegation, and
conveyed how it affected her life afterwards. Dr. Ford, who
was 15 at the time, continued, stating that Kavanaugh, 17,
pushed her into a bedroom, pinned her to the bed, and
attempted to remove her clothing. Shortly after, Rachel
Mitchell, a veteran prosecutor, highlighted apparent memory
gaps in Dr. Ford’s testimony. Additionally, considering the
fact that the alleged assault happened 36 years ago, Dr.
Ford’s memory could have been selective or skewed.

From   issues   like   abortion   and   gun   rights   to   business
regulations, Kavanaugh has been known to stress textual
limitations, favor the government over those alleging right
violations, and supports corporations over regulators. The
cases that Judge Kavanaugh has been apart of gives us a
glimpse of how he would act as a Supreme Court Justice, that
is if he gets approved.

Julie Swetnick accused Judge Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct
while at parties when he was in high school; however, there is
insufficient evidence to support her claims. There’s a trend
here with no evidence and yet people are still believing the
accuser.

Judge Kavanaugh denies all allegations of sexual assault,
saying he has “never sexually assaulted anyone.”
On Sept 28. Judge Brett Kavanaugh gave his testimony,
challenging all the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

The Senate, which has 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats, is
having trouble deciding the fate of Judge Kavanaugh.

Many senators believe that both the testimony of Dr. Ford and
Judge Kavanaugh were both emotional and contradictory.
The White House and the Senate majority leader’s team,
rightfully so, is extremely confident that the Senate will
vote to appoint Judge Kavanaugh.

Yearbook              steps         it      up      this
year
Prior to the start of every school year, yearbook Co-Editors
in Chief and staff begin the planning process behind the 300-
page book.

Over the summer, the new leadership for The Antenna
established a new layout and design for the school year.

The theme for this year’s book will be “Stepping Up.” The new
theme comes with various interpretations as yearbook staff
plan to incorporate it throughout the book.

“The theme of the book this year being ‘Stepping Up’ relates
to all aspects of student life,” senior Ruth Seyoum said.
“Whether a student is stepping up in school or at work or in
their community, the theme reflects how the people of our
generation are proactive and stand up for what they believe
in.”

The book as a whole will focus heavily on individual student
life.

“Our generation is not one to stand by and just let things

happen so the theme revolves around stepping up and taking
charge of your own life,” senior Sesen Beyne said.

The Antenna this year will vary from last year’s book as
multiple aesthetic and content changes will be introduced to
the book.

“One difference this year is that we opted to use triangles
rather than squares,” senior Sesen Beyene said. “The book last
year had an overall aggressive theme and fonts so it is a bit
more calm and subdued this year.”

The yearbook will also have visual differences on the cover.
There will be a new texture as well as 3D elements on the new
cover.

Both Seyoum and Beyene serve as Editors in Chief of The
Antenna this school year along with senior Jennifer Chavez as
well.

The leadership team of The Antenna attended a camp over the
summer at where they constructed their theme and then spent
time further developing their ideas.

“During camp we were looking at cover ideas and were inspired
by an image we saw on Pinterest,” Seyoum said. “We decided, to
go with it because we have never really used shapes on our
cover before.”

The cover will feature an array of colorful triangles with
some triangles having images in them depictive of small
pockets into student life. Also on the cover are the words
“Stepping Up” written in the negative space left by the
triangles creating the image of a ladder.

The theme will be integrated throughout the rest of the book
and will carry some of the same design elements from the
cover.

“Overall, we are trying to narrow down on the personal and

individual lives of students this year,” Beyene said. “We want
to focus and feature all the aspects that make Annandale such
a great place.”

Currently, the yearbook is being sold for $75 until the Oct.
26 deadline when prices will increase to $80. Students can
also add a nameplate to their yearbook for $8 and a plastic
cover for $5.
The Antenna staff will continue to work on the book as the
year progresses as they put their new themes and ideas to the
pages.

FDA introduces regulations on
flavored e-cigarettes
Flavored e-cigarettes have been all the rage for the past two
years at AHS. JUUL, the most popular brand of flavored
cigarettes among teens, has surpassed e-cigarette brands
manufactured by the major tobacco companies in popularity.
JUUL has become so popular that rather than referring to their
use as “e-cigarette use” or “vaping,” it is referred to as
“JUULing.” It seems as though teens are a major factor in the
JUUL’s massive popularity.

According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey, approximately
2.1 million youth (which includes middle and high schoolers)
were e-cigarette users. The number of youth using e-
cigarettes, including JUUL, is alarming and raises serious
health concerns that e-cigarettes could be an entryway to
nicotine addiction and the use of regular cigarettes for some
kids.

The JUUL company itself claims that the nicotine used is from

“nicotine salts found in tobacco leaves” which they claim
“accommodates cigarette-like strength nicotine levels.” The
widespread teen use of e-cigarettes and their danger of
addiction is reason for the FDA labeling the situation an
“epidemic.”

JUUL faces allegations from the FDA that their popular
flavored e-cigarettes are marketed to teens. From an outsider
point of view, it is hard to believe that flavors such as
mango, cucumber and fruit are designed to attract adults. In
an FDA statement from April, the FDA cites 1,300 retailers and
5 major manufacturers for violations related to youth sales of
JUUL e-cigarettes. These retailers include smoke shops, 7-11’s
and gas stations. Although the retailers listed are one way
for youth to access JUULs and other e-cigarettes, most teens
get their JUULs online. The FDA also issued 12 warning letters
to other online retailers that are selling misleadingly
labeled and/or advertised e-liquids resembling kid-friendly
food products such as candy and cookies. According to a
statement made by the FDA on Sept. 12, “The FDA had previously
issued more than 60 warning letters and fines to businesses
that sold JUUL brand products to minors. The agency also
recently sent letters to JUUL Labs and several other companies
requiring them to submit important documents to better
understand the reportedly high rates of youth use and the
particular youth appeal of their products.”

When asked where he gets his JUUL and JUUL products, Michael
Brown said “I can’t disclose that information. That is
classified from the public.” There are about four smoke shops
in Annandale which are possible locations for teens to
purchase e-cigarettes. The teens’ ability to purchase depends
on whether the store clerks check ID.

The first step to the growing problem of teen use of e-
cigarettes resides with its accessibility. The next step to
the problem includes the contents of a JUUL or other e-
cigarette. Cigarettes contain nicotine along with other

dangerous chemicals such as methanol and tar. Although JUULs
and other e-cigarettes do not have the dangerous excessive
chemicals, they contain nicotine which is the addictive
element in cigarettes. Therefore, the combination of addictive
content in a JUUL or other e-cigarettes combined with teen use
introduces an early addiction of nicotine for youth.

Early addiction can cause serious problems for a developing
mind. The effects of being addicted to nicotine can disturb
your daily life in school and at home. Not only can addiction
affect school life but it can affect your life at home as
well. It is a common scene at AHS to see students taking a
JUUL break in between classes in the bathroom.

Taking time out of your day to JUUL reduces your time to
complete homework and sucks time out of your social life.
Additionally, the effects of vaping can affect your focus
during and after school.

The worst part of the teen addiction to e-cigarettes has yet
to come. If the user decides that he or she wants to quit, the
process is an extreme challenge.

Junior Duc Ngo speaks about his process of quitting: “I have
quit vaping, it was quite a bad experience,” Ngo said. “It
started with a slight uneasiness, in the second day of
quitting, anxiety sets in.

The anxiety gets worse as the second day goes on. Stomach
aches start to happen. You’ll get very uncomfortable, you
hands will shake, you will feel like throwing up.”
Ngo also spoke about some of his own personal experiences with
quitting in addition to the basic effects. “I tried making
myself throw up but I didn’t eat anything before because I was
too anxious so I couldn’t expel anything,” Ngo said.

Finally, he added some reassurance to e-cigarette users that
are thinking of quitting but not without heading warning to
more intense users: “It all ends on the third day though, keep

in mind my experience might be pretty average when it comes to
severity,” Ngo said.

To address the trend of e-cigarette use among teens, FDA
commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement, “We’re
expanding our Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan. It encompasses a
series of steps to stop youth use of tobacco products,
especially the rising use of e-cigarettes.” The Youth Tobacco
Prevention Plan incorporates three steps. These steps include
preventing youth access to tobacco products, curbing the
marketing of tobacco products aimed at youth and educating
teens and their families about the dangers of using any
tobacco products. In addition to the Youth Tobacco Prevention
Plan, the FDA released “The Real Cost” ads which educate teens
about the dangers of using e-cigarettes.

In addition, the ads are designed to communicate to teens in a
compelling way about the risks of using e-cigarettes.
According to the FDA, in the first two years “The Real Cost”
ads have prevented nearly 350,000 teens from initiating
cigarette smoking.

The FDA clearly as a straightforward plan of action to prevent
the selling of JUULs and other e-cigarettes to teens. JUUL or
any e-cigarette containing nicotine can be addicting.

Senior Kassie Peralta can’t go a day without using JUUL. “I
would say no, because when I see it I’m tempted to use it,”
Peralta said. “That’s why I don’t own one, I only borrow.”

Young Thug’s EP takes charts
Nothing beats the excitement around a new rap album coming
out. Jeffery Lamar Williams, Young Thug released his “On the

Rvn” EP on Sept. 24.
Its overcrowded tracklist is primarily unknown. Lil Keed,
Tracy T and Nechie and little verses from guys like Duke. It
also features his sister and his partner, Karla.

A few days before Young Thug turned 27, he began touring the
country with J.Cole. This generated lot of hype for his
upcoming album, “Slime Language.”

The album had three songs on the U.S. Top 100 chart but is
losing it’s numbers due to the release of rap icon, Lil
Wayne’s, Carter V.
Thug then sent pet snakes to popular media outlets, like
entertainment YouTubers and influencers, to promote the album.

The baby snakes were delivered with a tracklist for his latest
album. Thug is a master at promotion and marketing which lands
him on the top charts.

Young Thug, defies categorization. He’s mercurial and
eccentric with every aspect of art. From the music he creates
to his fashion, he has come a long way in his career. With
regards, his music, “On the Rvn” had 6 songs.

This project features 6lack, T-Shyne, Jaden Smith and Elton
John.

A fan favorite is the song “High” featuring Elton John. This
struck many as a surprise due to a very unlikely feature. John
is typically a country and rock artist and this is his first
time being involved in a rap song.

Jaden Smith is an upcoming superstar. His feature on “Sin” is
by far his most relevant guest appearance so far.

Doing his share of mumble rapping while also dropping some
meaningful lyrics revolving around having women and ballin’.

Another favorite is “Climax” featuring 6lack, another popular
rap, and hip-hop artist. This song incorporates a great beat

with meaningful lyrics.
6lack recently dropped an album of his own called “East
Atlanta Love Letter” on Sept. 14.

This EP that Young Thug released was to show the public how
far he came with his songwriting and lyricism.

On The Rvn is Thug’s first successful attempt at seamlessly
bridging old and new vibes.

Over the last half- decade, Thug’s flow and delivery have
become more tangible. Having recently gone on a social media
rant about “drip god,” it’s clear that Thug feels
unappreciated these days. But by any and all measures, Young
Thug is one of the most consistent rap acts of this decade.

Thug’s new album has been out for a little over two weeks and
continues to accumulate more streams on every music platform.

With the release of two new albums in September alone, a very
promising future has been laid out for the Atlanta native
rapper as he attempts to rejoin the conversation of best rap
artist out right now.

Atoms beat Generals
On Sept. 28, the AHS football team finally won their first
game against the Washington-Lee Eagles by a score of 42-28.
This win came after four brutal, consecutive losses.

This first win also happened to be the homecoming game, which
made it that much more special to the team.

“Overall, against Washington-Lee, we played as a team together
and played great defense which got our offense rolling,”

sophomore quarterback, Danny Salisbury said.

However, the journey to the win was rather rough as the team
had to learn from some brutal losses.

When the Atoms played the Justice Wolves in their first game,
they lost by a commanding score of 47-26.

Then, when the Atoms played the Woodson Cavaliers, a very
dominant team so far this year, they were unable to score a
touchdown.
They did, however, manage to get a safety in the fourth
quarter making the score 39-2 favoring Woodson.

For their third game against Robinson on Sept. 8, the team
lost 58-21

After a bye week, the Atoms lost again at home against Fairfax
by only a touchdown, after suffering a one point loss last
year.

The big question that the team was left with after suffering
four losses was how were they going to rebound and pick up a
win against a vulnerable Washington-Lee, who were also 0-4 at
the time.

A big contributor to the team’s losses were injuries with AHS
starters.

For example, senior Trea Allen, defensive player on the team,
who was injured during warm-ups in one of the previous games,
said, “work needed to be done on the play calls.”

He also brought up other flaws with the team’s play calling
during the games.

“Other teams know our plays like Red and Black and they’re
calling them out before we can even run them,” Allen said.He
also noted that they needed to start playing like brothers,
which was achieved in their huge two touchdown win against

Washington-Lee.

Another factor which helped the Atoms achieve their win
against the Generals was their mindset going into the
homecoming game.
Quarterback Devin Gill remained enthusiastic about the team.

“We have very beatable opponents over the next weeks and we’re
just going to press the reset button and work hard,” Gill
said.

Additionally, this same optimistic mindset was depicted by
head coach Michael Scott.

“Every week we try to get better no matter what the outcome.
It’s a week to week, day to day process, so I tell them that
come Monday it’s a new season. Hopefully, you get more guys
healthy that were banged up,” Scott said.

Throughout the rest of their season, the Atoms will need to
keep their positive mindset and confidence from a much needed
win.

“Every single game, there’s enthusiasm. Overall, it’s just
about finding the way to get the win,” Scott said.

After the win, the team also assessed changes that need to be
made.

“Everybody, including me, needs to step up and play to their
full potential,” Salisbury said.

Last Friday, they headed to Marshall High School to challenge
the 3-2 Griffins, who also came off of a nail biting, double
overtime win against Justice High School.

At the time of the publication of this story, they have not
yet played.

“To prepare for the rest of our games this season, the team

will be watching and reviewing film and replays 24/7,”
Salisbury said.

However, the Atoms looked for vengeance after losing at home
last year by a heartbreaking score of 41-40.

The team believes if injuries heal, they keep up their mental
game, work hard and keep playing like brothers, they will be
able to turn their season around.

                       Upcoming Games:
            October 12th vs. West Potomac – 7p.m.
            October 19th vs. Mount Vernon – 7p.m..
               October 26th @ Hayfield – 7p.m.

Driven to Distraction
Every day when senior Patrick Brown gets home from school, he
plops down on the couch in his living room and turns on his
iPhone.

He starts out by reading messages from his friends and then
quickly clicks away to Snapchat and Instagram to check out
stories and posts from throughout the day.

Shortly thereafter, Brown finds himself sucked into the
YouTube black hole spending endless hours jumping from video
to video.

Being completely oblivious to his surroundings and time, Brown
eventually realizes that the clock has struck 8 p.m. and he
has yet to begin any of his assignments, projects or study for
any upcoming tests.

This is the unfortunate reality faced by many students not
only at AHS, but across the country. The rampant progression
and advancement of technological devices over the past decade
has come with a wave of negative effects on the daily lives
and teenagers.

Teens have found themselves not only procrastinating at home
due to the distracting nature of tech devices and gadgets, but
have also been inattentive and absent-minded in the classroom
during the school day.

The convenience of recently developed devices has not helped
in reducing such distractions.

For Brown, who always remains up to date on new releases,
having access to various forms of technology like his iPhone,
Apple Watch, AirPods, MacBook and more has provided a certain
degree of convenience.

“I use my devices for everything from entertainment and having
fun to doing school work,” Brown said.

There is no doubt that such cutting-edge devices have improved
user experience and refined functionality. However, it is also
evident that the latest devices on the market are preventing
youth and teens from remaining on task.

Distractions from technology have also become prevalent in the
classroom over the past decade.

Whether it be during lessons, tests, quizzes, etc. a multitude
of students can be seen with their headphones or earbuds in
during class and trying to hide their phones under their desks
as they click away.

“I probably would consider technology a distraction in the
classroom because it can do so much more than what a teacher
can talk about,” Brown said. “Sitting in class without much to
do makes you feel inclined to start using your phone.”

With students constantly needing to fulfill their irresistible
urge to pull out their phone or laptop, many have paid less
attention in class and tend to easily lose focus.

History and Social Studies teacher Jonathan York implements a
couple of different methods to prevent technological
distraction in his classroom.

When a student is using their phone during class or when they
are not supposed to, York asks them to place their phone
inside the cell phone pocket pouch at the front of the
classroom. The student can then retrieve their phone at the
end of the period.

“Technology is a huge distraction in the classroom and cell
phones have become a major problem,” York said.

However, some teachers at AHS take a different approach when
it comes to using technology in the classroom.

English teacher Kathleen Mathis often implements technology
into her lessons when possible.

“For me, implementing technology into teaching has re-
energized me and allowed for so many different activities that
have engaged students more,” Mathis said.

Examples of technology being used with lessons in Mathis’
class includes the use of Virtual Reality with a book read in
class and having school wide scavenger hunts with iPads. Other
ways in which technology has been integrated into teaching is
through students making short videos and podcasts.

“I think using technology gives students more of an
opportunity to show what they know and prepares them for what
lies ahead of them,” Mathis said. “Technology is not going
away and preparing them to know how and when to use it now is
only going to help them later in life.”

Despite   the   more   engaging   lessons   for   students,   using

technology in the classroom still has its drawbacks.

“There are definitely some downsides to using technology in
the classroom because students are not always using it the way
that they should,” Mathis said.

With the debate over technology and whether it is harming the
minds of adolescents raging on for the past years, multiple
researchers and studies published have displayed significant
results.

In a study published in the Journal of the Association for
Consumer research, students were asked in an experiment to
take tests that required close concentration with their phones
either stored in their desks or in another room.

The test measured brain capacity of the students and ability
to process data.

Students whose phones were stored in a different room
performed better on the test than those who had their phones
nearby in their desk. Scientists at the University of Texas,
Austin believed that this study reveals the drain phones are
having on young minds and displays the limiting of cognitive
resources.

Research from Columbia University professor Betsy Sparrow,
PhD, revealed the use of technology is hindering individual’s
ability to remember and recall information.

According to the study, search engines are improving human
ability to remember how to search for and where to find
information, but however are worsening the ability to recall
the information itself.

In spite of these studies, many continue to defend the use of
technology arguing that it allows for the expediency of daily
tasks and provides quick access to knowledge and information
via online searches and answers.

Some also maintain that technology is the way of the future
and it is required for individuals to attain skills needed to
use it as it will be necessary for many jobs in the time
ahead.
Despite the debate, it is undeniable that technology is bound
to continue to advance and will most definitely not be going
away anytime soon.

Spider   man                     game            excites
students
Marvel’s Spider-Man has only    been released   for several weeks
and it is considered one of     PlayStation’s   best games in the
past decade. With a different   storyline and   many new different
features, here is the inside    scoop on this    fun and nostalgic
video game.

Spider-Man is back and better like never before. The popular
comic-book superhero has gone from movie theaters to the world
of video games. While Sony did not provide an official number,
with a retail price of $59.99 for the game, the 3.3 million
copies translate to roughly $198 million, which completely
crushed the $117 million opening weekend box office of the
latest solo Spider-Man film, “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”

Another record Sony achieved was getting their fan base to
preorder over one million copies. The number of copies sold
set a record for Sony, publishers behind the game, as the
fastest selling first-party video game release in the
company’s history. “ I preordered Marvel’s Spider-Man because
I am a big Spider-Man fan,” said senior Karam Said. “I was
able to play the game as soon as it came out and I already

finished the game. It was very enjoyable and I am happy that I
bought it.”

Marvel’s Spider-Man features the acrobatic abilities,
improvisation, and web-slinging that the infamous Spider-Man
is famous for, while also introducing elements never-before-
seen in a Spider-Man game. From traversing with parkour and
unique environmental interactions to new combat and
blockbuster action, it’s Spider-Man unlike any you’ve played
before. This is an experienced Peter Parker who is more
masterful in fighting major crimes in New York City. At the
same time, he is struggling to balance his challenging
personal life and career while the fate of nine million New
Yorkers rests upon his shoulders.

The game includes a lot of side missions and objectives to
complete, as it offers around 20 hours of play time. “The game
was extremely long and I loved every second of it,” senior
Hoang Tran said. “The missions were never repetitive and I
also loved how big the map is. It was the actual size of New
York City which is very impressive.”

As much as this game is loved, it is also hated by many Xbox
and PC users. Spider-Man is a game personalized only for the
PlayStation 4 console. The reason for this is because Sony
does not approve of making multiplatform games. This means all
the Xbox users are being left out of its next-gen graphic
design and overall fun in the story mode.

With enhanced graphics and a new story mode, it makes sense
for the rival console to be upset. “ I really wish that Sony
could partner up with Microsoft so that we could also be able
to play Spider-Man,” senior Leonardo Iriarte said. “I played
it at my friend’s house and I was instantly addicted. I was
hooked after the first scene.”

Compared to other Spider-Man games, such as “The Amazing
Spider-Man” and “Spider-Man 3,” this one has a lot of major

upgrades and features. This game includes different skins, or
costumes, that you can acquire through playing the game and
earning higher rank and getting past certain levels. It
includes new characters such as Fisk, Herman, Miles Morales,
and many more that we have not seen in previous games. The
visuals have been completely upgraded as well. With spot-on
realistic graphics, previous games can no longer compare.

Marvel’s Spider-Man can be bought from various stores and
websites such as Best Buy, Gamestop, Target, Amazon, and the
PlayStation Store. The price can possibly go down in a few
months, so if you are not financially able to purchase the
game at a $59.99 price tag, you can in the upcoming months.
You can also find deals if you have a PlayStation Plus
membership. The deals can vary from 10-15% off of the initial
price.

This game is a hit on the gaming market and could possibly the
best game released in 2018. With the sales increasing by the
day, more records can be broken by the end of the year and it
will not be a surprise.

Have a Taste                     of      Annandale
this weekend
Annandale is enriched with diversity and it is reflected in
its restaurants, stores and residents.

To celebrate our unique community, the fourth Taste of
Annandale will take place on Oct.13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
along Tom Davis Drive.

This free annual festival attracts Annadale’s local food

trucks, vendors, live entertainment, talent and welcomes all
community members of all ages.

Taste of Annandale will start with a 5K Race beginning at 9:30
a.m. in the Kmart parking lot on John Marr Drive.

Runners will go through Columbia Pike and finishing off at
Mason District Park.

Sophomore Christine Trieu volunteered at Taste of Annandale
last year.

She helped set up booths and spent the remaining of the
festival gave hand-outs to those who attended.

“Taste of Annandale is important because you get to know
what’s in your neighborhood and probably find ways to get
involved. The event is just really fun,” Trieu said. “The
atmosphere is very lively. There’s a lot of people and you get
to talk to new people.”

Trieu enjoyed her experience last         year   and   will   be
volunteering again for this year.

Well-known local food vendors will make an appearance such as
El Fuego, Honey Pig, Phowheels and Mulan Dumpling.

The Culinary Arts Department will also have a booth at the
event.

Additionally, the PTSA will have a Farmer’s Market booth set
up that will sell fresh fruits and vegetables.

One of the festival’s highlights is the pet contest.

Chico’s will be hosting the pet contest where residents can
bring their pet, from dogs to ferrets, dressed in a Halloween
costume. There will be one winner for most creative, handmade
costume and one for the best overall costume.

There will also be a winner for best duo or group, which

includes two or more pets, an owner and pet, or group with at
least one pet.

The winners will receive a prize from Chico’s Natural Pet
Market. Additionally, Chico’s will also offer free mini-
makeovers for pets.

Additionally, attendees will be able to vote for the best
chili in the Chili Cook-off against the Mason District Police
and the Annandale Volunteer Fire Department.

The AVFD is the reigning campaign for two consecutive years.

Another annual tradition to be held later this month is the
annual Annandale Parade on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m.

The AHS marching band will make an appearance in the parade
beginning at the Annandale Shopping Center near Gallows Road
to the Bowling Alley.

Photos reveal beauty in all
bodies
Bodies. Every person on the planet has something unique and
different about them.

We have become accustomed to thinking and believing that there
is an ideal body type for every person, or that there is a
certain image that people should strive for.

Specific companies, fashion brands and modeling agencies such
as Victoria Secret have been known for Photoshopping their
models in order to hold up their ideal body type with their
products.

However, times are changing. Some companies are adapting to
the demands of their customers by using everyday looking
models without Photoshopping their appearance. AHS students
are embracing the ideas of body positivity and acceptance.

Junior Max Sprabary did a Photoshoot to celebrate the
differences that are seen between people in society, despite
the fact that they are concealed and found in the shadows.
These differences are usually evident in our everyday lives,
but are sometimes concealed through the influences of the
media in society.

Sprabary began taking photography four to five years ago and
since then she never stopped at an opportunity to capture a
beautiful moment in nature or in her daily life. Now that she
is in her junior year, she has still continued on with it-
learning new information that would improve her skills.

Through her photoshoot, she spread the message of body
positivity and body acceptance, much like how other
Instagrammers, such as Megan Jayne Crabbe, with the Instagram
handle of bodyposipanda. Crabbe’s Instagram page focuses on
the portrayal of different body types, mainly focusing on
people who have a little more weight than the next person.
Crabbe produces photoshoots with photographers that have a
focus on representing the lesser known or discussed topics
such as body dysmorphia.

“I wanted to shine a light on things that are normally frowned
upon for people,” Sprabary said “Things that people are
usually insecure about but trying to turn this beautiful thing
into art.”

There are certain expectations that are placed on women and
men alike that prevent or lessen the chances of them
showcasing the differences in their bodies, whether that be
moles or beauty marks, stretch marks, cellulite and more.
Through focusing on these specific areas of the body and the

imperfections, it focuses on the specific issues of people and
how they may be seen in society.

“Body positivity is a really important topic because a lot of
people get bullied for what they wear, look like, or what they
do with themselves,” Sprabary said.

If we choose to be the same person, following the same trends
and styles, it hinders our capability into fully expressing
ourselves and being comfortable in our own bodies. Due to this
growing insecurity that people have about themselves, it can
affect the way that they live, and prevent them from enjoying
their life to its full capacity.

“A lot of people don’t realize that everyone is human.
Everyone has body hair. Everyone has a little bit of fat,”
Sprabary said.

Sprabary got most of her inspiration from other Instagrammers
or photographers. All of the photographers that she researched
have shared her same sentiments and have been known to
challenge the ideas of an ideal woman and man set created by
society.

Such photographers include Peter Devito, who encaptures the
wrongness of society by putting “I’m done with the Photoshop”
stickers on the models faces. These impactful pictures allow
for a conversation to begin, even if the pictures are only
looked at for seconds at a time. As time continues, more and
more models are being showcased realistically: with stretch
and/or birthmarks, disabilities and illnesses.

The teen fashion retailer, American Eagle, has recently
created a #AerieReal campaign that focuses on the true form of
a human body, with all the scars, cellulite and illnesses- all
of which makes us even more unique.

“When I see the words body positivity, the first thing that I
would think of is ‘shapes’,” Sprabary said, “People are all

different. They come in different shapes and sizes and should
all be appreciated and loved.”

Restaurant Review: Carlyle’s
Crushes the Competition

Carlyle’s delicious penne
primavera with chicken. A
large     portion      of
perfectly cooked pasta,
tender          chicken,
broccolini,   mushrooms,

tomatoes, spices, and
melted cheese for only
$18.

Great American Restaurants may own 12 similar restaurants in
the Washington, DC metropolitan area, but Carlyle’s is a
unique and special place. It is a semi-formal American Bistro
restaurant that is vegetarian and gluten free friendly with
vegan options.

Their prices range from $4 sides to a $29 rib-eye steak and a
variety of dishes in between. They serve sandwiches, salads,
seafood, pasta, red meat and more. Kids are also welcome, for
there is a kids menu with a juicy cheeseburger, chicken
fingers, steak, penne pasta, and salmon. Carlyle’s even has a
“best buns dog biscuit” (carry out only) for just $1!

The menu is not the most extensive I’ve seen, but the dishes
they do have are pretty spectacular. Start off the night (or
day) with their must-have hot spinach and artichoke dip. It is
$11 and can be split among friends and family. The chips are
crunchy, the cheese has a great pull to it, and it’s well
melted.

When I last visited, I ordered the penne primavera and it was
delicious. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce tied all
of the ingredients together, and it was rich and creamy. Even
better, the portion size was large, so it was well worth my
money. I also tried the hangar steak with broccolini, bacon
bits, and crispy brussel sprouts. It was my first time having
steak of any kind and I can confidently say that I would try
it again. Bacon is not my favorite food, but fortunately it
did not overpower the flavor of the steak, so I still enjoyed
the dish as a whole.

In addition to tasty food, Carlyle’s offers great service. The
waiters and waitresses are friendly and professional and are
guaranteed to make your experience a positive one. I went with

a group of friends as a surprise for one of their birthdays.
The staff gladly allowed us to decorate the table before hand
and hide a cake in their fridge. They started a conversation
with us as we were ordering and were even willing to take
pictures for us when we asked.

The restaurant is a popular one, so it’s a good idea to make
reservations in advance. They are open from 11:30am-10:30pm
weekdays,10:30am-11:30pm Saturdays, and 9:30am-10:30pm on
Sundays. Go ahead and make a reservation at 4000 Campbell Ave,
Arlington, VA 22206 and enjoy a classy evening filled with
great service and food.

Marching Into a New Year with
“The Greatest Show”
The Marching Atoms march their way into a new school year.
They are made up of members from the Color Guard, Wind
Ensemble, Concert, Jazz, and Symphonic Bands. They are most
known for the incredible performances at pep rallies, football
games and at their very own concerts and competitions.

The Marching Atoms are hard working soldiers when it comes to
practicing. This year they started basic camp on Aug. 6th,
three weeks before school started. In the mornings they’d
learn the basic fundamentals of marching and in the afternoons
they’d work on music.

“That’s where we learned all of our skills and technique to be
able to do the choreography in the show well,” senior
Elizabeth Platt said. She is co-captain of the color guard.

Platt wants her section to try their best throughout their

whole performance.

“I want them to be perfect, but that’s not always achievable.
As long as they try and they put on the best show to their
ability, I’ll be happy” Platt said.

They delivered an impressive performance at the Homecoming
game right after the winners of the king and queen were
announced, Hangyul Chang who is section leader of the
piccolutes and Amber Untch a drum major.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t finish their halftime show
because of the third quarter, but they did their performance
again after the game. During the game, some Marching Band
alumni came back to perform and show their support for both
the game and the new Marching Band.

“They were so good, I couldn’t keep my eyes off them, there
was so much happening I didn’t know where to look,” sophomore
Lissel Lopez said.

Their performance title for this year is, “The Greatest Show.”
For the idea of the show Joseph Witkowski, the band teacher
collaborated with the marching band design team, the drill
writer David James, and other people on his staff.

“It was kind of inspired by The Greatest Showman movie and
there is a little music from it, but it’s a lot more circus
imagery we’re doing,” Witkowski said

“The performance changes every year, but this year the
choreography is much more fun and silly,” Platt said. We have
a lot more individual moments rather than one or two solos.
The color guard and the band also interact more in this show.”

Costumes of the color guard performers are also very unique
and have a modern look. “It’s got tails in the back like a
ringmaster would wear, so it kind of has that circus imagery.
It is very playful and fits the silliness of a circus,”

Witkowski said.

Some of the songs they will be playing are “Entry Of The
Gladiators” by Julius Fucik, “Send In The Clowns” by Stephen
Sondheim, and “This Is Me,” from The Greatest Showman.

“We want to try and find music that is going to be interesting
for the students and have educational value to them,”
Witkowski said, “as well as entertaining the crowd.”

Space Jam 2 becomes a reality
The highly-anticipated follow-up to the hit 1996 movie
starring NBA legend Michael Jordan is now a go. With future
hall of famer Lebron James as the star, it is being held at
high expectations.

Lebron James will not be the only basketball star to be
featured in the movie. Many other all-stars will have cameos
in the film, but have not been named yet. One specific
basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, has declined a cameo in the
upcoming film.

It is also rumored that Michael Jordan will have a cameo in
the film. Considering he was the star of the last film, this
is a great twist to add to the new film.

Space Jam 2 will be directed by critically-acclaimed director
Ryan Coogler. Coogler has directed films like Black Panther
and the first Creed movie, both of which starred Michael B.
Jordan. Other notable actors include Chadwick Boseman, Daniel
Kaluuya, and Sylvester Salone.

Lebron James will star as the team’s small forward, while Bugs
Bunny will star as the point guard. They will again have to

battle the Monstars. It is similar in a way to the original
Space Jam, but with creative mind Ryan Coogler behind the
camera, we are all in for a surprise.

Many students have been long awaiting the sequel. “I saw the
original Space Jam and it was really good. I like

Michael Jordan and I think he’s a good actor,” senior James
Gore said. “I like basketball. I can’t wait to see Space Jam 2
when it comes out.”

Lebron James is the perfect fit for this movie, considering
that he is arguably the best player in the world. Others might
argue that he is the best player of all time.

“Personally, I think Lebron James is better than Kobe Bryant,”
senior Patrick Brown said. “I would even go on to say he is
better than Michael Jordan. I think Lebron is the greatest
player of all time.”

Although it is titled Space Jam 2, director Ryan Coogler has
said that this is not a sequel to the first Space Jam. He
claims that this is an independent film. Coogler has a lot to
live up to, considering the first movie made $230.4 million.

Coogler and James seem to be on the same page. James has even
gone to say that he has respect for Coogler. He has also said
that he loves his vision, and he also praises him for bringing
the first black superhero to life.

This relationship is important to the film. Production of the
movie is set to be started in the NBA off-season of 2019. Fans
can expect to see the film in theatres around the end of 2019.