Despite Terrorism, Bali is Beautiful
Halley Pearson
I recently returned from the far off island with a population of almost 5 million in the South Pacific, Bali. It may seem considerably unusual that I went there after the most recent bombings on October 1, but not going would be the equivalent of telling terrorists all over the world that I, as an American, am scared. Since the bombing last month, tourism has dropped tremendously, by almost 60%. For the Balinese tourism is the main source of economy for the whole island. During my stay abroad I met a Balinese pool boy who gave his views on Bali’s current situation.
“I’m not scared of terrorists now, but I am sad for all the people in Bali because of the tourists. Without them, the economy of Bali goes down and our people won’t have enough money to feed their families,” said Jantuk.
All over Bali pictures of the three bomber’s heads were posted in hopes that someone will come forward with information on them. The police have already identified two of the bombers and are currently searching the island of Batu Malang, another island in Indonesia, for information there.
On November 10, while I was still in Bali, some breaking news hit my hotel. On the night of November 9, Dr. Azahari, one of the leaders of a major terrorist organization who also helped plan the bombings, was killed in a shootout with the Balinese police. The people of Bali hope that now there will not be another attack on their little island.
As an American, I often wondered what the Balinese people thought of Westerners. Since the events that have occurred I thought they might resent American tourists, but never were they hostile or rude to me or my family while we were there. They were the most loving people I had ever met. They always had smiles on their faces, and wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.
Although some major events related to the bombings in Bali happened while I was there, I never felt like my life was in jeopardy. Whether it was walking through the street markets, riding elephants, or cruising on mopeds through the hills, I was never scared. With recent events, the tourism in Bali is expected to go up again, and I know I definitely want to visit that little island in paradise at least once more in my lifetime.
Lungs Rejoice, State Bans Smoking
Tom Kicinski
Smoking has increasingly become more and more controversial in the past decade. On November 8, Washington State passed Initiative 901 which bans all indoor smoking and requires smokers to be at least 25 feet away from any open windows, vents or doorways if they want to light up.
Statewide smoking bans have already been passed in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Washington’s smoking ban passed with over 60% approval.
For individual smokers the punishment could range from a warning for the first offense to a $100 fine. Businesses that allow people to smoke indoors risk losing their license to serve alcohol for chronic offenders. The smoking ban will mean that even lounges will not be allowed to let people smoke inside. The only exception is smoking on Indian reservations inside casino’s will be legal.
Some businesses have been thinking of ways they can work around this new law. The thought is that there will be a small covered area set up in the center of some parking lot 25 feet away from business. The smoking ban will take affect on December 8.
The Boys are Back in Town
Duncan Mayshark
One of our own Vashon firefighters, Mike Kirk, left more than two months ago to help with the emergency aid effort in the awful aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He recently returned from this mission and sat with me to discuss his experiences.
Kirk and the team of Vashon firefighters, 10 in all, never saw serious action in New Orleans. When they arrived at the Community Relations Resource Center (CRRC), the staging area for incoming firefighters, in Atlanta, Georgia, it was apparent that organization was lacking. They were offered jobs as temporary FEMA employees maintaining order at the facility.
This job was very important, but it meant they would not have the opportunity to directly help victims of the hurricanes. The firefighters decided to stay together in Atlanta. It may sound boring, but Kirk had an optimistic view.
“At times, given that we were just a cog in the wheel, it was interesting,” he said.
Another comfortable aspect of being a volunteer there was that everything was paid for. They had their hotels paid, were allocated adequate funds for meals, phone calls, laundry, basically any daily activity.
The disorganization was due to the fact that this was the first time a federal agency ever called such mass numbers of firefighters, over 2,000, to aid victims and the reconstruction of affected areas.
It became the goal of Kirk and his fellow firefighters to ensure that FEMA would continue to call upon firefighters to help in such emergencies. Firefighters are trained in first aid, damage detail and obviously fire extinguishing, all the most important qualities an aid worker in a natural disaster should have.
Kirk never talked to an evacuee from New Orleans, but conducted interviews of firefighters who had just come from the disaster areas and those going in. Many interviewed said, because they often wore FEMA emergency shirts and jackets, they ran into a lot of hostility.
Kirk spoke of an incident in which one of his team members was involved in a confrontation with a man in a restaurant because of his FEMA shirt. Once they made it clear they were just firefighters and not permanent FEMA employees, people were much more reasonable and gracious, Kirk said.
It is understandable that the firefighters received such antagonism relating to their affiliation with FEMA. Kirk spoke of how FEMA often lost track of the aid workers they sent to New Orleans.
“FEMA needs a better system for keeping track of the people they send into the field,” he said.
A few of the firefighters Kirk interviewed experienced conflict with their FEMA JFOs, Joint Field Officers, who were apparently unprepared and lacked adequate knowledge of FEMA’s rules. Because of this incompetence, Kirk said, the firefighters often found it difficult to do their job.
Kirk is very glad to be back on Vashon, but said he would certainly do something of this nature. He is also very happy to be back with his wife, Patti, considering the eight weeks he was gone was the longest time they had ever been apart.
Junior Callum Auer Spins a Different Beat With Debut Album
Jamie Riley
Junior Callum Auer has spent the last few months devoting his time to his love for hip-hop music. Auer recently dropped his debut record The Awakening on the Vashon public, released on Tuesday, October 11, through Gar-Arabian Records. The album features 13 tracks of original beats and lyrics composed by Auer and junior Alex Garabedian. There are also a few guest appearances on the record. Juniors Micah Sohl and Taylor Butz help out Auer on two songs, creating a linguistic trio that raps faster and better than anything on the radio.
What to expect from the music? Well, he’s no hip-hop entrepreneur like Kanye West, but no one can deny the fresh rhymes Auer spills out his mouth on the record. Think more of that of Slim Shady and Atmosphere, mesmerizing beats and melodies that are topped off with that swift thought provoking edge of the rhyme.
The rehearsing and recording goes down at the house of Garabedian, who takes credit for the production of Auer’s works. Garabedian provides recording equipment and a sound system for Auer to jam on. Both Garabedian and Auer create the beats on the computer, and then Auer lays the freestyle over the drums until he comes up with suitable lyrics and/or melodies for the beat, and a song is born.
Auer said, “Hip-hop has always spoken to me ever since I can remember. There is something about the poetic speech of rap that truly touches my soul. I feel the music.”
Auer’s lyrics address a wide variety of subjects, “If you saw me free styling, anything really, whatever sparks my mind. It could be about my day to day life, the people in my life, VHS, food, other rappers, anything. On the record most of my raps are about where my heart lies in hip-hop. There are always the bling-bling songs that glorify my style, and other songs that go into more depth talk about what goes on in my mind, life and nature.”
Whether he’s down with hip-hop for life or just having a little fun, Auer has marked an important milestone in the history of VHS art. You never know how someone is going to express them self.
The Times, They Are A Changin’
Justine Eister
Those of you who have been preparing for college since you were in seventh grade, and who stay home on Friday nights to study the Fiske guide, brace yourself. The college admissions process is changing.
“You have to realize that all of us are dealing with change,” said Shirley Ferris, guidance counselor at VHS. “With applying online, the new SAT and more competition than ever, it is very difficult to generalize about colleges.”
One major change in the admissions process is happening just across the water. The University of Washington recently discontinued its use of the admissions index. The admissions index is a system based on G.P.A. and test scores, the higher the AI number, the higher your chance of getting into college. For years admissions directors have used this index to evaluate prospective students. Students below a certain number were not even considered using this evaluation procedure. But the UW decided to change all that.
“We believe that when considering students for admission, grades and test scores should not be the only things considered,” said Paul Seeger, Associate Director of Operations at the UW.
This is refreshing news for students who do not want to be seen as just a number.
“Students with lower grades and test scores, but other strengths may fair better with the new process,” Seeger said.
“This will make essays way more important,” Ferris added, “It gives you a chance to apply as a person.”
But that doesn’t mean you can slack off. In fact, it means just the opposite.
“Students who are freshmen, sophomores or juniors should not avoid challenging courses just to protect their GPA. Grades are still considered, but the courses that a student takes are just as important.” Seeger added.
Ferris said colleges that have done away with the admissions index, “colleges want students who are not afraid of a challenge. They are trying to avoid students who just want to look better on paper.”
Luckily for VHS students, the guidance counselors have been giving us advice that corresponds with the new admissions procedures since freshman year.
“We’ve been telling you this all along. Stick with your core classes; face your difficulties despite the possibility of bad grades. High school is a time to pay attention to what you aren’t good at,” Ferris said.
Despite this major change, much of the advice from admissions directors remains the same.
“Apply early, fill out your application carefully and accurately, and submit a quality personal statement,” Seeger said. Most importantly, keep an open mind. “If you end up not being admitted to your top choice school, your other higher education options in Washington state, community colleges and four year colleges are all excellent,”
“Pay attention to what’s important to you,” Ferris said. “ It matters less where you go to college, but more what you do there.”