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September 5, 2008
Back-to-School Issue

The Grass is Always Greener...

...When its Turf
By: Katy Nalples-Mitchell

Last Spring our own Highland Park High School received a generous
1.5-million-dollar grant from Middlesex County to entirely renovate our existing athletic fields. Plans for the new athletic complex were discussed in great
detail at various Board of Education meetings and the borough and district collaborated to create a comprehensive plan for the grant. The final aims included an artificial turf
field, a new track, as well as a playground and seating area in addition to other potential amenities behind the high school. Upon
completion the area would be open to students and families in
the district as well as the surrounding community. During initial
planning, the project promised to be completed by the fall season
to accommodate the football and soccer teams, although late last
spring that completion date was set for later in September.
The renovation initiative began soon after school ended in
June. Yet in recent weeks passersby may have noticed that construction on the fields behind the middle and high schools seems
to have reached a complete halt. According to the superintenConstruction in the back of HPHS
Photo by Hannah Diamond-Lowe
dent, Dr. Frances Wood, the project had to be put on pause because testing revealed contamination in the soil underneath the old

Continued on page 4

Why So Serious?

Because The Dark Knight is Frickin Amazing

By Brian Feldman
*WARNING: Spoiler Alert! If you have not seen The Dark Knight
this may contain material you do not wish to see until having viewed the
movie. If you dont intend to see the movie ever this may convince you to
do so, so pray continue*
Easily the biggest movie of the summer, The Dark Knight
opened to record crowds in late July, sending the country into a fervor that could only be described as Batmania (I promise there wont
be any more puns). With an all-star cast, awesome action sequences, and an intense and gritty storyline, there wasnt much to gripe
about.
So what specifically made The Dark Knight the cinematic
experience of the year? Ill start with the cast. Again taking on the
role as the titular character is
Christian Bale,
who does an
admirable job
of
portraying
eccentric
billionaire Bruce
Wayne
and
The Dark Knight: the biggest movie of the summer
raspy-voiced
Image courtesy of google.com
Batman trying
to balance personal happiness with the greater good. Gary Oldman
is nothing short of epic as Commissioner Jim Gordon. The two strongest performances of the film, however, come not from the hero, but
from the villains. Aaron Eckhart does a great job as Harvey TwoFace Dent, and his transition from crusading hero to vigilante killer
is a fascinating one, as is the contrast between Dent and Batman (the
most obvious one being the White Knight/Dark Knight association).
Additional credit should go to the makeup team which put a new,
cringe-inducing spin on Two-Faces look.
The most talked-about performance, though, is obviously that
of Heath Ledgers. His take on the Joker is a much darker, creepier

Continuedonpage6

Inside...
Feature

Letter from Fling Editor

A Letter from President Feng

p. 2
p. 3

News

A Last Look at George W. Bush p. 4

Vice Presidents - Pros and Cons p. 5
Arts & Entertainment

Twilight and Harry Potter p. 6

A List of September Concerts

p. 6
Girl Talk. Girl Talk. Girl Talk.
p. 7

Sports
A Review of the Olympics

p. 8
Final Medal Score p. 8

... And More!

Want to be front page news?
Join the Fling.
You dont have to be
Shakespeare to contribute.
You just have to want to.
thehighlandfling@gmail.com

Volume LIX, No. 1 ~ Highland Park High School ~ 102 North 5th Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904

Feature

With Love From Me to You:

A Letter from the Editor

ear Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, Freshmen, and any

manner of life that will be attending Highland Park
High School during this 2008-2009 school year,
I would like you all to know that I am looking forward to this
year just as much as you are. This will change based upon you, the
individual reading this, but I am perfectly okay with that, and here
is why: this newspaper, The Highland Fling, is for you, Highland
Park High Schoolers. It is for your thoughts, your ideas, your jokes,
your art, your esoteric wit, your astute observations, and whatever
else belongs to you. I urge you, submit it to
the Fling and we will print it (please, people, within reason). If you have a club that
only your friends are going to, we can advertise it for you and maybe you can make
some more friends. If you had an amazing
experience in Antarctica this past summer,
then share it! Tell us what you learned and
what you saw (Im guessing snow and ice,
but hey, there could have been a Yeti!).
What I am trying to say is that this newspaCourtey of google.com per is not about those who write regularly
A yeti you may have seen.
or edit each month, and it is not about me.
We, your Fling editors, exist for the sole purpose of organizing your
work into a form that can then be printed for all to read and ponder. This newspaper is about you, the students of Highland Park.
As a newspaper of Highland Park High School, an institution of about 400, everyone needs to be involved for this to be a
successful venture. If you dont want to write, thats okay. You
can take pictures, submit artwork, create a Top Ten chart, take a
poll to answer a question, deathly serious or whimsically witty -- it

100%

Where are the

Best Looking People
in HPHS?

doesnt matter. It is your paper, do with it what you will. I promise

you, though, you will be involved. The Fling will interview you
whether you are in sports, the gaming club, the awesome movie
club, an interesting elective, or whatever. If you have miraculously
avoided any kind of club, gathering, or required class, then I commend you, but you cant hide. As long as you are a part of Highland Park, you are represented by the Fling, and we will find you,
poll you, ask you questions, and maybe even use your responses in
a Generation Gaps piece. (If you dont know what that is beware.
Kidding, kidding.) No, seriously, start reading the Fling.
Anyway, since its hiatus, to put it kindly, a few years ago,
the Fling has been plodding down the winding road towards rebirth and resurrection. We are there, we are revived, but we are not
yet all we could be. With a new face and even more enthusiastic
participation, this newspaper can fulfill its potential and its duty to
the student body and more specifically to you, the individual. And
so I beg you one last time, make this your student newspaper. Tell
us what you want to see, tell us what you are doing -- the school is
interested, the community is interested, and wed love to tell your
story. We want your opinions and your ideas. You should not be
intimidated by your school newspaper, but rather you should be
involved with it, whether you are contributing and writing or just
reading what your fellow students have to say. The Highland Fling
will be dedicated to reporting what you have to say and what you
want to read; we are dedicated to you.
With warmest and most encouraging regards,
Hannah Diamond-Lowe
Editor-in-Chief of The Highland Fling

The Highland Fling Staff

Advisor: Ms. Marionni
Editor-in-Chief: Hannah Diamond-Lowe
Editorial Staff: Brian Feldman, Soyoung Kim,

Katy Naples-Mitchell
Reporters: Ken Chen, Sam Finegold, Olivia Goldman,

Rose Laurano, Melanie Liu, Wendy Pan, Shruti Sharma
Guest Contributor: Yuchen Feng

Thank You!
A note to my staff:
I just wanted to thank you all so much for your work towards this first issue of the year. It was a lot to ask for you to give
up some of your last hours of the summer to buckle down and turn
out these amazing articles. Thanks to you who contributed, and to
those who did not but who are going to continue to be a part of the
Fling, thank you in advance for your work.

50%

Your very grateful E-i-C,

Hannah

WanttobelistedasFlingStaffandgetacoolT-Shirt?
0%
The Highland Fling

Everywhere Else

You do the math.

Work for the Fling.

Become a Staff Member

Contact Ms. Marionni in Room 106

or
e-mail us at thehighlandfling@gmail.com

We want to hear from you.

The Highland Fling

Feature
A Heated Debate:

The Dish Cafe Vs. Highland Pizza

By Hannah Diamond-Lowe
For obvious reasons, The Dish Caf, (formerly named The
Bagel Dish Caf), is the better choice for an open campus lunch
when choosing between it and Highland Pizza. For one, you actually get a lunch. For those who are starving by the time lunch
rolls around, nothing is more filling than a honey mustard chicken
wrap or three chocolate chip pancakes. Tastey, right? I know. The
food is delicious, fresh, and wonderfully un-greasy. Im sure I cant
say the same about Highland Pizzas barrel of cheese and grease
that they call a slice of pizza.
The ambience of The Dish is
friendly. The place is well lit, and there
is always artwork on the walls. Thanks
to the expansion about a year ago, there
is room for everyone. In all the years I
have been eating at The Dish the service has not once been bad. Once, when
I was a freshman (back when all grades
had open campus lunch, sorry current
freshmen and sophomores) a waitress gave my friends and I a free
meal. She said it was from Santa Claus. When was the last time
Santa bought you a meal at Highland?
Picture this, it is a day like any other, and you and your
friends decide to eat at The Dish. The caf is close to the school,
but you are still a bit worried about being late. So you call ahead
of time and place your order as you stroll down Fourth Avenue.
When you get there your food is waiting, scrumptious and ready
to go. Its enough to give you that warm, fuzzy feeling of true bliss.
As you take your seat in a comfortable, cushy booth, you cant help
but wonder why you would ever eat anywhere else. As you meet
Brian on the way back to school, please remind him how at peace
you are with your meal and how nauseous hell be in a few hours.

Images courtesy of google.com

By Brian Feldman
Honestly, what isnt there to like about Highland Pizza? For
starters, its closer to the school than The Dish Caf, so you dont
have to worry about racing the clock and then getting back late
and getting detention. No one wants to race against the bell. Your
food is ready quickly; perfect for the busy student who has to finish their work or study for a test. Theres no having to order from a
waitress or waiter and then twiddling your thumbs while waiting
for your food.
In addition, Highland Pizza
just has a great menu, with the requisite pizza and French fries, but it
also includes subs and Philly cheese
steaks. Delicious! I recommend the
chicken fingers. I certainly dont see
cheese steaks on the menu at The
Dish Caf.
Also, Highland Pizza is perfect for the frugal student. The
Dish Cafs items can cost twice to three times as much as a comparable lunch at Highland Pizza. Is The Dish really a practical option
for a student on a budget? I could get twice as much food at Highland Pizza for the same price! Oh, and good luck trying to split the
check when you head to The Dish with your friends (I just had
salad, so I dont see why we should split the bill evenly.) Transactions at Highland Pizza are quick and simple, because theres no
issue for calculating tip or splitting the bill.
Hannah, you can have your snooty little Bagel Dish. Enjoy
eating your expensive bourgeoisie food and dispensing bon mots
with your pinkies raised high while the rest of us enjoy a quick and
tasty lunch, albeit with greasy fingers, without breaking the bank.
Then Ill laugh as you rush back into school trying to make it to
class ahead of the late bell while I sit back, full and satisfied.
Sources: Common knowledge

A Word From Your Student Body President

reeting Student
Body,
I had barely registered the arrival of summer before June had
melted into September,
before another school year
loomed overhead like a
thundercloudintimidating yet exhilarating at the
same time. At this point,
Im still having a little
trouble reconfiguring myself for school, especially
after such an electrifying
summerRafael
Nadals
Wimbledon title, the wildly acclaimed The Dark
Yuchen Feng, Student Body President
Knight, the unforgettable Photo by those people who do the school photos
Beijing Olympics, and
the respective historic nominations of Barack Obama and Sarah
Palin for President and Vice-President (of different parties). But
now, as we walk back under the Albadomethinking wistfully of
our summer vacationswe must look ahead to the coming school
year. Sure, Im a little reluctant to abandon summer for school, but
Im absolutely thrilled to kick-start my senior year as President of
Student Congress.
Working with Vice President Joe Lobel, Treasurer Jenny Xie,
Secretary Shruti Sharma, and Board of Education Representatives
Melanie Liu and Katy Naples-Mitchell, Im optimistic about the
next nine months. In fact I hope Student Congress means something to all of you by June 2009. I take this task up as a personal crusade, since last years Student Congress participation rate

dipped to a five-year low. Meetings consisted almost solely of officersnot only because of conflicts between Student Congress and
class meetingsbut also because a severe case of apathy suddenly
paralyzed our school. Not many cared about school events, and
school spirit dried up like a puddle in the scorching sun. Interest
in student government was so scarce, in fact, that the President,
Treasurer, and Secretary positions were uncontested during the recent June elections! While it was easy for me to walk from the Vice
Presidential to the Presidential office, I would have preferred an
actual election. I still remember from two years ago when I stood
on the auditorium stage, hands trembling in front of four hundred
students as I prepared to deliver the speech that would whisk me
into the Vice Presidency. Sure, that moment almost made me nauseous, but at least I knew that I was elected to truly represent our
interests.
Last years apathy infected not only Student Congress, but
also the entire school. Our school spirit and pride eroded into bitter complaints and frustrated sighs. We felt like we had no control over our school lives. But why shouldnt we take back what
is rightfully ours and build a capable student government? Why
cant streamers and banners decorate our hallways during Homecoming Week? What about a Winter Formal or Spring Fling? Perhaps a Holiday Food Drive that actually amounts to more than
one measly box donated by Ms. Dewhirst? A weekly bake sale in
Center Hall to satisfy your sweet tooth?
In the coming months, with more homeroom meetings and
the initiation of after school meetings, we can build a Student Congress for ourselves. We can create a school environment we enjoy.
Think about it like this: our summer was great, but lets see if we
can make our school year just as memorableif not more.
Your President,
Yuchen Feng

Welcome Back!

News
The Fleeting Moment
By Wendy Pan

Though the next President isnt inaugurated until January, President Bush
seema to have embraced the spirit of the
lame duck. This stage in a Presidents term
is comparable to senioritis: one enjoys their
last few months in their respectful institutions without paying too much attention
to work. Similar to how second semester
seniors take advantage of their allowed absences, Bush has been relaxing at his Texan
ranch, building mountain bike trails, outlining the first few chapters of his future book,
and appearing in several Youtube videos.
His behavior is not surprising, though, because every President conducts their last
moments in a similar manner. President
Clinton spent chunks of time playing golf
and cards with his strategists and visitors.
Some argue its a good thing; George
W. Bush is doing little and keeping out of
the spotlight. But whether people admit
it or not, America did vote him into office,
where he will stay until his service is officially over. With his final term dwindling,
this may be a chance for President Bush
to put aside partisan politics and take into
consideration the good of the nation as a
whole. With zero possibility of re-election
and little time left to refurbish his legacy,
Bush can still make something out of his fi-

Our very own President Bush

Image courtesy of google.com

nal months. Though most Highland Park

residents are critical of Bush, there are a
few things the President can do that may
resonate well in this town and others.
Approximately 60% of the nation
favors offshore oil drilling, so Bush could
make that a focus of his agenda. In New
Jersey, 64% favor offshore oil drilling while
34% oppose. Both Presidential candidates
have addressed this subject under the pressure of soaring gas prices: John McCain
supports offshore oil drilling and Barack
Obama supports it under certain circum-

stances. Thus, it is likely that Bushs work

on this issue will continue under the 44th
President. One of the Bushs more successful but slightly overlooked initiatives is his
aid to the African continent. He has committed billions to fighting AIDS and disease
in Africa, where his approval rating stands
at 80%. Though Bushs mission was in no
way perfect, many still acknowledge it as
a highlight of his eight years, and pushing
for a bipartisan bill to commit more efforts
to Africa could brighten his resume. The
President has also worked for improved
relations with France and Germany and
these ties ought to be strengthened in coming months.
It appears unlikely, however, that
President Bush will change his stance on the
largely unsuccessful Iraq war. His legacy
will probably revolve around the military
actions in the Middle East and the expansion of executive power. Hopefully Bush
will, in his final months, consider addressing issues in a fashion the national public
finds favorable. After all, what has he got
to lose?
Sources: ABC News, New York Times, New York
Sun, Council on Foreign Relations, townhall.com,
politickernj.com

So Whats Up With the Turf Field?

field. Traces of both
lead and chlordane,
common New Jersey toxins, yet harmful nonetheless. The
district suspects that
chlordane was used
as a pesticide in the
1960s and 1970s and,
although New Jersey
A digger on the HPHS grounds, digging. Duh. now prohibits the use
Photo by Hannah Diamond-Lowe
of chlordane, the deposits found in the soil are remnants from years before. Since this
discovery the district has conducted additional testing with results
still pending and, after contacting the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), has begun remediation efforts. Once all
of the contaminated soil is removed from the site, the district will
continue with the initial plan and begin laying the Astroturf field.
This is all in accordance with state regulations outlined by the
DEP. Results from tests conducted on the baseball field have yet
to return, but if similar results arise the district promises to pursue
another detour in construction in order to ensure the safety of the
students and the surrounding community.
Due to these surprising discoveries, the project has evidently been delayed. The new dates for completion are as follows: the
artificial turf field will be finished by October 16; the track will be
resurfaced by October 28; the playground and sidewalks will be
installed by November 6; and the additional landscaping will be
completed by November 12. A contingency plan for our fall sports
teams is now in place. Unfortunately this season there will be no
home games for the HP football team; games designated both as
home and away will be played on the opponents fields until
completion of the turf field. The soccer teams will be playing home

(Continued)

games at Thomas Edison Park in Edison, fields two and three. Additionally, the soccer teams will be practicing in both Donaldson
and Johnson Parks depending on availability of the fields, and all
football practices will be held in Donaldson Park. In a statement on
the district website, Superintendent Dr. Wood offered to answer
any further questions concerning the status of the fields. Moreover
she added that the the safety of the students and all Highland
Park residents is our foremost concern. For more information and
future updates contact the Superintendents office or consult the
Highland Park district website, found at www.highlandpark.k12.
nj.us.

If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out

Join

Amandala
and

AcappellicsAnonymous
(A.A.)
Auditions will be held in September
Look for flyers around the school

The Highland Fling

News

Vice Presidential Face Off:

Biden

vs.

Palin

By Rose Laurano

Joe Biden was officially declared the Vice Presidential nominee on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 3:29 in the morning - I know because
I got the text message from Barack Obama. Immediately the media world was plunged into a frenzy - who is this Joe Biden and
what kind of dirt can we dig up on him? Here is the rough sketch
of his career that slowly appeared, including the numerous times
he managed to put his foot in his mouth. In 1973, at age 30, Biden
became one of the youngest senators ever elected. In the past he
has been the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is
currently the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Earlier
this year, Biden came under heavy fire for stating, I mean, you got
the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright
and clean and a nice-looking guy, I mean, thats a storybook, man.
There is a debate that a comma is meant to be after African-American which would definitely change the meaning of the sentence.
There was also the issue of him being accused of plagiarizing in
law school, and again in 1987. Richard Cohen wrote in the Washington Post earlier this year that Biden might not be an attractive
candidate for the Democratic Vice President because of his manicobsessive running of the mouth. With all of these blemishes on
his record, what does Biden bring to the team? He has over thirty
years experience, which the Democrats are hoping will overshadow
Obamas relative lack of experience. He is also a veritable almanac
on all things concerning foreign relations - something which, in this
time of world turmoil, could prove very valuable. The negatives to
choosing Biden, however, are significant. Other than his many past
blunders, voters find themselves questioning whether Biden truly
represents change we can believe in because hes been around for
so long. How does he represent Obamas message? Also, with his
undeniable talent at political gaffes, how likely is it that he could
slip up on the campaign trail? These are questions which only time
will answer.

On August 29th, Sarah Palin became John McCains surprise

pick for vice president and the second woman in history to be a vice
presidential candidate on a major political party ticket. Although
mentioned once or twice as a possibility, she was not even on most
peoples shortlist of likely candidates. McCains choice, while surprising, has the potential to be the jump start that McCain has been
lacking - or it could be the disaster he has narrowly avoided thus
far. Palin began her political career as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska
in 1996 and is the incumbent governor of Alaska. She made history as the only woman and the youngest person to ever become a
governor. The potential positives of having Sarah on the ticket are
monumental; she could draw a portion of the embittered feminists
away from Obama, simply because she is a woman. Even though
this group may be small, any boost could help McCain pull ahead
at this point. The conservatives love her - shes a woman who is
pro-life, pro-drilling, and pro-guns, and once stated on a televised
debate that she felt that creationism should be taught alongside
evolution in schools. She also voted to support the 1998 constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. The negatives of choosing
Paling could prove to be overwhelming for McCains campaign,
though. As a political figure, she has close to no experience. Not
only does this place doubt on her abilities to lead, but it also could
unravel the basis of McCains attack against Obama: the idea that
he doesnt have enough experience to be a decent president. Her
ideas and policies are also remarkably similar to those of President
Bush, a political figure with whom no one wants to be associated
with right now. In addition, if she is found guilty in an investigation that ends 4 days before the presidential election of abusing her
power as a governor when she fired Public Safety Commissioner
Walter Monegan then McCains campaign could be hit hard. The
only certain thing is that Obama and Biden will definitely have a
much harder time facing McCain and Palin.

Sources: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1835480,00.html, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/08/29/1304605.aspx, wikipedia.org

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Welcome Back!

Arts & Entertainment

Review: The Dark Knight
(Continued)

one than previous interpretations, and despite being entirely insane,

Ledger makes the character completely believable, psychotic, and
sickly comical all at once. From his hilarious and gruesome slapstick entrance, to the final showdown, there was never any doubt
in my mind about the Jokers motives; to paraphrase Alfred, Bruce
Waynes butler played by Michael Caine, The Joker simply wants
to watch the world burn.
Besides being a fascinating study in vengeance and anarchy,
The Dark Knight also manages to throw in some incredible action sequences. Director Christopher Nolan made a concerted effort to use
as little CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) as possible, so when
Batman hooks onto a Boeing jet or an eighteen-wheeler somersaults
down the street, what the viewer sees is complete photorealism,
providing a unique sense of immersion.
Image courtesyofwww.imdb.com
The film isnt without flaws, however. Nolan is not subtle
Heath Ledger playing the Joker in The Dark Knight. He died shortly after
the film was completed
about his stance on wiretapping and the invasion of privacy, and
the inclusion of politics pulled me out of the final sequence a bit. There is one gaping, enormous, gigantic plot hole that also frustrates.
An early scene in the movie involves the Joker crashing a party thrown by Bruce Wayne, and after changing into Batman, he is forced to
jump out of a window to save someone. After this, the scene simply ends, giving no explanation as to what happens to the Joker. Despite
these flaws, the performances and action suck you right back in.
But its September now, so Im guessing youve already seen the best film of 2008. If not, head to the movie theater immediately
after you punch yourself in the face for holding off this long. Ive seen The Dark Knight twice and even that much isnt enough. I dont
just want to see it again, I will see it again.

Harry Potter Finally

Died
Because Of A Really
Good-Looking Vampire
(Well, Sort Of)

Want to Hear Some Music?

If you and your friends
have nothing to do
on a particular weekend, got some cash to
spend and someone to
drive why not go to
a concert? And theres
that
mid-week
weekend coming up in
the end of September.
Go see Ben Folds.

Compiled by Olivia Goldman

Rascal Flatts w/ Taylor Swift ($35-$75)
Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
Fri, 09/12/08, 8:00 pm
Reggie & the Full Effect ($12.50)
Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
Fri, 09/12/08, 7:00 PM
Goldfrapp w/ Martha Wainwright
($40-$75)
Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
Fri, 09/12/08, 8:00 PM

By Soyoung Kim
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was originally
slated for release on November 21, 2008. However, Warner
Bros. decided to move the movies release to the summer
of 2009, instead. After this move was announced, Summit
Entertainment moved a movie of its own. Now, Twilight,
a movie based on the book series by Stephenie Meyer that
has a cult-like following of fans, will premiere on November 21, 2008 instead of its original release date of December
12, 2008. The author of Twilight has been dubbed Americas J.K. Rowling in the past, and her books have been
called the next Harry Potter phenomenon. Does anyone
sense competition?
Rob Friedman, co-chairman and CEO of Summit
Entertainment does not. In a statement, he wrote: We by
no means are trying to fill the shoes of the incredible Potter franchise for 2008, rather we are just looking to bring
the fans of Stephenie
Meyers incredible book
series the film as soon
possible from a programming perspective.
In any case, Twilight still remains the
most-anticipated movie
of the remainder of 2008.
In a recent poll on Fandango.com, Twilight beat
out Quantum of Solace, the
newest James Bond film,
and even High School Musical 3, the latest in the
The design teams are going to
Disney Channel movie sehave to make new posters
Images couresy of google.com ries that has a manic fanbase all across America. Moviegoers will have to hold on
until late fall to decide for themselves whether or not the
anticipation was worth the wait.

Continued on next page

The Highland Fling

Source: http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/

Arts & Entertainment

Harry Potter: Sweet!
By Soyoung Kim
Ever wish you could be part of the magical world of Harry Potter? It really is rather
unfair that wizards have it all not only do they live in a magical world where elves
and giants really do exist; they get to make potions, pet unicorns, and use magic to duel
each other at school. They even get to
use magic to pull pranks on the school
ghosts, and their version of open campus involves shopping and hanging out
with friends for entire weekends. They
never even have to wash the dishes by
hand. In our world, we only ever learn
about those never-ending equations at
school, and pulling pranks on school
faculty is way out of the question.
Maybe we will never have the
chance to fly around on broomsticks
or hippogriffs, but we too can eat those
candies that Harry always buys on the
The candies from the world of Harry Potter
Hogwarts Express. Bertie Botts Every
Courtesy of soleilchocolates.com/wizarding/default.htm
Flavor Beans were introduced several
years ago, but people have tired of the sickening vomit and earwax-flavored jelly beans.
Now candies such as Dementors Kisses, Horace Slughorns Crystallized Pineapple, and
Cinnamon Pixies are available for purchase as well!
Chocolate Frogs, that thankfully do not hop away, come with a collectible Famous
Wizards Card. You can also make your own Pumpkin Punch and drink it in golden goblets
for your own Welcome-Back-to-School feast. Floo Powder can be purchased in twenty-six
different flavors, including Chocolate Chip, Peach Cobbler, Fruit Punch, Vanilla Cake, and
Mud Pie (anyone brave enough to try it?), and who knows, maybe if you throw it in your
fireplace you can magically transport yourself to your dream location.
If you are interested in buying your own Harry Potter candy, or are just curious and
want to see these candies for yourself, magic your way over to: http://soleilchocolates.
com/wizarding/default.htm or http://www.whisicalley.com. Maybe somebody will be
brave enough to try the Unicorn Droppings or Cockroach Clusters!

Mash-Up Artist: Girl Talk

By Olivia Goldman
In the world of music, would you Girl Talk fan, hes performing on Novemthink that there could be a collaboration ber 15 in New York City, and you might
of songs by Ace of Base, Kanye West, and want to check it out.
Kenny Loggins? And that it would actually
To people just starting to pick up his
sound good? Thats the beauty of mashmusic, you might notice the huge changes
up music; an artist can put together two or that have been going on in comparison
more songs (sometimes more than 30) and to Girl Talks older work. His first couple
create a new song, an entirely new hybrid
albums are distinctly more experimenof what could be explicitly sexual rap and
tal, playing around with the pop songs,
70s instrumentals, in Girl Talks case.
sounds, and fragmented samples. Unless
Girl Talk, aka Gregg Gillis, 26- you think you might be into some sounds
year-old former biomedical engineer that
reminiscent of Aphex Twin, his more reworked a typical day job and played ridiculous concerts during the weekends,
now has devoted his time to this music. His
success with his album Night Ripper, became something he could actually depend
on, landing the 22nd best album in Rolling
Stone magazine.
Girl Talks concerts are somewhat
of an oddity; because he doesnt create his
music with instruments, he does it with his
laptop. Fortunately, the music he creates on
his albums and live concerts is infectious
and danceable, suggesting his concerts are
more like outrageous dance parties. Back in
his earlier days, to get people more into his
music without having a live band, it wasnt
uncommon for Girl Talk to pull stunts like
strip off his clothes. Although he doesnt
Greg Gillis preparing his laptop for his concert
really do that anymore if youre already a
at the All Points West music festival in NJ.
Photo by Hannah Diamond-Lowe

Welcome Back!

cent work is more in accord to the typical

music listener.
As his record label Illegal Art implies, there are some controversies with
mash-up style music, created largely using,
without permission, samples from other
artists work. Although in order to make
his music Girl Talk has to blatantly ignore
copyright laws, he has not been taken to
court, yet. But it probably means he wont
be landing a spot in the iTunes store anytime
soon. This could be why his newest record
Feed the Animals is FREE. By visiting his
myspace, you can find the site where you
can download his album at no cost. Like the
Radiohead album that was released online
last fall, you name your price. If you do
choose to donate, $5 will get you a version
of the album on one track, so you can listen
to all the pieces seamlessly, and for $10 you
can receive a hardcopy of the album. You
really dont have an excuse not to give it a
listen.
Sources: http://www.myspace.com/girltalk, http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_Talk_(musician), http://
www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/magazine/20wwlnconsumed-t.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=r
ss&oref=slogin, http://www.nerve.com/screeningroom/music/girltalk/, http://stereogum.com/archives/quit-your-day-job/quit-your-day-job-girltalk_004530.html

Concerts to Check Out

(Continued)
The Kooks ($15.50)
Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
Fri, 09/12/08, 8:00 PM
Bouncing Souls ($18)
Terminal 5, New York, NY
Fri, 09/19/08, 7:00 PM
Stars ($30)
Terminal 5, New York, NY
Sat, 09/20/08, 7:00 PM
New Found Glory ($15)
Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
Fri, 09/26/08, 06:30 PM
Mary J. Blige w/ Robin Thicke ($60-$115)
Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
Fri, 09/26/08, 7:30 pm
Alanis Morissette ($40-$75)
Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
Fri, 09/26/08, 8:00 PM
The Ataris ($15)
Maxwells, Hoboken, NJ
Fri, 09/26/08, 10:00 PM
Ratatat ($22.50)
Terminal 5, New York, NY
Sat, 09/27/08, 8:00 PM
Weezer w/ Angels and Airwaves, Tokyo
Police Club ($50-55)
Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ
Sat, 09/27/08, 8:00 pm
Kate Voegele ($15)
School of Rock East, South Hackensack, NJ
Sun, 09/28/08, 7:30 PM
Ben Folds ($40)
Terminal 5, New York, NY
Tue, 09/30/08, 7:00 PM
Cake ($28-$38)
Palace Theatre Albany, Albany, NY
Tue, 09/30/08, 8:00 PM
Sources: Ticketmaster, Coast to Coast Tickets
TicketWeb

Sports
A Look Back at the
Olympics

Athletes,

The Highland Fling likes

sports

By: Melanie Liu

For months prior to summer vacation, the world was abuzz
with the one event that would forever identify summer 2008: the
Tell us about your
Beijing Olympic Games. Despite the controversial issues that
plagued the international forum before the Games, August 8, 2008
favorite HP athletes
was still a highly anticipated day. As the countdown began, fans
and supporters gathered in Beijing while the rest of us prepared
enough coffee to last an entire neighborhood through the late-night
Get interviewed about
coverage. In no time, twenty-six days of excitement and crazy athwhats going on in your
letics came and passed.
It began with an incredible, awe-inspiring opening ceremosports team
ny that seemed to defy all expectations (which were pretty high).
Under the direction of director Zhang Yimou, over ten thousand
performers put on a spectacular show at the Beijing National Stadium, or The Birds Nest. Im sure everyone has seen the opening
ceremony or at least heard about it, so I will not recreate the fourhour plus performance on paper. It did, undoubtedly, establish the tone for the Games as well as set the bar high for London 2012.
What followed was over two weeks of intense competition. First there was Michael Phelps, who became known as a new sports
phenomenon (were still trying to figure out what family of dolphins he belongs to). Then there was the heated showdown between
Team USA and Team China in womens gymnastics. Usain Bolt raced into the spotlight after winning the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m
relay. In almost every event finals there was a breath-holding moment, gasps of shock, or screams of pure joy.
At the end of the week, goals were beyond reached, with athletes winning medals for countries that have never before obtained
one. Athletes and fans alike went home exhausted by all the energy, but content and joyful at the same time. The United States went
home with the most medals (110), while China set a new standard for themselves with fifty-one gold.
As the torch was extinguished until 2012, the world looked back with satisfaction at the past weeks. Of course, there were also
bumps (even head-on collisions) at times during the Games: the war between Georgia and Russia that dimmed the opening ceremonies
and continues to plague us today, the tragic murder of the US volleyball coachs father-in-law, the lip-synch scandal, and perhaps most
infamously, the looming question of Are they sixteen or not? that hangs over Chinas Women Gymnastics Team. But despite these
problems, I think we can safely say that the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games was a success. China has worked for years for these
precious moments when it can tell the world that its ready to welcome visitors. Regardless of what still mars its image, China has indeed
changed greatly in the past decade. Reform will take time, but the Olympics this year has at least opened up that opportunity. So with
the legacy of firework, flying athletes, and 5000 years of history, China passes the torch on to London, where we will meet again in four
years.

Go Owls!

Its All About the Sports, But...

A Look at the Medals
By Hannah Diamond-Lowe

Nation

Gold

Silver

Bronze

1. China
51
21
28
2. US

36
38
36
3. Russia
23
21
28
4. Great Britain
19
13
15
5. Germany 16
10
15
41
6. Australia 14
15
17
46
7. South Korea
13
10
8
8. Japan
9
6
10
9. Italy
8
10
10
10. France
7
16
17

T.

Nation

100
110
72
47

11. Ukraine
7
5
15
12. Netherlands
7
5
4
13. Jamaica
6
3
2
14. Spain
5
10
3
15. Kenya
5
5
4
16. Belarus
4
5
10
17. Romania 4
1
3
8
18. Ethiopia 4
1
2
7
19. Canada
3
9
6
20. Poland
3
6
1

31
25
28
40

Gold

Silver

Bronze

T.
27
16
11
18
14
19
18
10

The chart is organized by which country won the most gold, which is why China tops at number one and the United States comes
in second, with less gold medals but more wins overall. This is no great surprise - if you tuned into the games at all there was always
heavy stress on the fact that China has put a lot of funding and effort into winning those golds, and they should be commended. Notice
we seem partial to silver. The message is that if China can compete, and succeed, on the world stage in the Olympic Games, then they
can do so in other world arenas, like politics, the economy, and world power. So, a good job done by China, they truly impressed the
world.
The top ten is dominated by Europe and East Asia, with Russia and Australia thrown in. When stretched to 20 the list starts to include more diversity of continents. Undoubtedly, though, the countries at the top have money to spend on training and equipment. Embarrassingly enough, Great Britain, the host of the 2012 Olympic Games trailed China with a little less than half of the number of medals.
There are also surprises on the chart. Competing under its own flag, North Korea came away with six medals, two of which were gold.
Afghanistan and Israel are awarded the same rank of 81, each team winning one bronze metal. While money, achieved through global
political power ensures that those countries with the most to spend bring home the most medals, there are still countries cheering for
their surprise first medal ever. There Of course, the spirit of the Games is what is most important, but whos counting?

The Highland Fling