Welcome, Guest!

Archive

Where there's a Will there's a way

William is a very powerful name.

It came from the Germanic roots Wil, meaning "will or desire", and Helm, meaning "helmet, protection." Hence a person named William is a determined protector, someone who will give up at nothing to protect what he has set out to keep safe.

Blogging about my favorite blog

One of my many current blog obsessions is "Stuff White People Like." This is by far the most engaging blog I've encountered, and it strays far from my normal read.

Fall play diary '09: Isn't Mars bright tonight?

Opening night finally arrived for the cast and crew of Uni's fall play, "The Miser." And, according to actress Katy Metcalf, it was amazing. "Today, I got all my lines," she writes. "Every single one. I did accidentally scream — but I can work on that later. And not just me. Monologues were finally in place, costumes were completed, everything went wonderfully. Taking the final bow was dreamlike."

UFU movie day to kick off personal sacrifice campaign

The student group United for Uganda will host a movie day Friday in order to kick off the organization’s personal sacrifice campaign. The documentary "Uganda Rising" will be shown in Room 109 at 2:15, after school’s 2 p.m. early dismissal. Some refreshments will be provided. Check inside to learn more about UFU and its personal sacrifice campaign.

Column: Less was more for 2009 Halloween costumes

When going to a store to find a Halloween costume this year, customers were immediately assaulted by outfits sporting names like "Pocohottie" and "Cottontail Cutie." These costumes were not just taking up shelf space, girls were flocking to buy them. Jenny Cooke has a few thoughts on why girls insist on encouraging frostbite on Halloween.

Blogging NaNoWriMo: Week 1 of literary abandon

"So, now National Novel Writing Month has officially begun, and we've kicked off with a bang," writes Katy Metcalf. "Or, at least, a passably loud squeak. There are tons and tons and tons of Uni students participating, which I am thrilled about, including our nine-member support group. And, so far, no one's dropped out. So, thus far, everything is going well."

Column: Lying about the sun

While driving in town recently, Will Fernandez passed a billboard touting the benefits of "Vitamin D from the Sun and Tanning Beds." If the billboard was to be believed, using a tanning bed could help reduce the risk of breast cancer. This struck Fernandez as odd — most likely a manipulation of legitimate research on the benefits of Vitamin D. So he looked into the matter a bit further.

Fall play diary '09: The sweet smell of … the North Attic?

"There is a particular set of smells that accompanies productions at Uni High," writes actress Anna Gooler. "I can't say exactly why I focus on these smells, but perhaps it's my brain preparing for nostalgia. I'll be flying around in my hovercraft someday in the future and smell something familiar, and I'll find myself yearning for the good old days of theater at Uni."

About one-quarter of Uni students receive H1N1 vaccine

Slightly more than 27 percent of all Uni students took advantage of the opportunity to receive an H1N1 vaccination Monday at Uni Gym. Staff members from the McKinley Health Center were on hand to administer the live intranasal version of the H1N1 vaccine, which was the only form available. Students needed signed permission slips from their parents to get the vaccine.

Video: Let there be rock — air guitar comes to Uni

Have you ever tried to play a Jimi Hendrix solo that was so difficult that you weren't able go a few strums before failing miserably? Well, a new club at Uni is there for you to live out your rock 'n' roller dreams without all the practice. Will Fernandez had to get the scoop on Air Guitar Club and ask, "Are you ready to rock?"

Fall play diary '09: Tech week from a techie's perspective

"I have a different perspective on this process from most, for I am a techie and I am not on stage," writes crew member Adam Joseph. "While the actors are worried about learning lines and entrances, I worry about knowing what lights to turn on when and making sure each light is where it needs to be. And just doing that presents a certain number of problems."

Gargoyle guide to the week in entertainment, Nov. 2-8

It looks like a slow week for the entertainment. From a remake of the classic "Christmas Carol" coming out in theaters (in 3D?!?) to The Swimmers' latest album in the music world, there aren’t too many highly anticipated new releases. Check inside for more about this week's films, CDs, DVDs, video games, and local shows.

A mobile memorial: The USS New York docks

You probably expected to see a 9/11 memorial rise from "Ground Zero." Perhaps a symbolic statue or a new building would stand in that spot, to symbolize our resilience in the face of terrorism. However, a memorial to the World Trade Center was unveiled today … in New York Harbor.

Boys cross country: Illineks head to state finals for second straight year

[Updated with photos and audio] Competing in what might have been the toughest sectional in Class 1A, the Illineks on Saturday qualified for the IHSA state finals for the second consecutive year. With 121 points, Uni finished third out of 20 teams at the Decatur St. Teresa sectional meet.

Girls cross country: Team improves over last year's sectional but falls short of state

[Updated with photos] The Uni girls cross country season ended on Saturday with an 11th-place finish at the Class 1A Decatur St. Teresa sectional meet. The top Illinek finisher was senior Elizabeth Russell, who placed 45th. Overall, the team improved by 28 points and two places over last year's sectional.