Manchester Road Race

On Thanksgiving day, the 72nd annual Manchester Road Race took place. Of course the running is the main event but, many people took notice of what was going on sidelines of the course as well. Garage bands played music in the driveways of the homes that lined the course to encourage the runners. Residents set up their grills and made food just for the occasion. Many restaurants opened their doors early to accommodate the runners and their supporters. Food was handed out to the runners as a sense of encouragement The atmosphere is said to be enjoyable for all. The man coming in first place was an Irish Olympian by the name of Martin Fagan, who completed the 4.748 mile race in 21 minutes and 41 seconds.

Last year, Martin Fagan came in second place in the Manchester road race when he was on the home stretch and a man passed him by. He said he just did not have the strength in him to catch up. This year, things changed. When Fagan was on the home stretch on a slight hill heading to the finish, he looked over his shoulder to look at his pursuers and then sped up the hill to the finish.

According to Courant.com, Fagan said, "It's awesome...It's just been so long since I won a race. I've won my Irish nationals, but a lot of road races, internationally, I've been second, third. . . . I do the same every race, go out hard, but never hold on. It's a great feeling to be able to hold on and win."

Fagan ran in the Olympic marathon in August and had his hopes set on becoming another Irish runner to win the race, including Mark Carroll, John Treacy, John Doherty and Eamonn Coghlan.



Information provided by Courant.com.

[Brian S. contributed to this story.]

Pep Rally

RHAM hosted its first pep rally of the year yesterday Wednesday, Nov. 26. It consisted of the girls and boys Cross Country teams, girls and boys Soccer, Football, and Volleyball state champions. RHAM celebrated the undefeated season of the Volleyball team and honored senior Kelly Stratton who will graduate this year. Girls cross country recognized seniors Kati Wulftange, Adrianne Matunis and Jess McSweeney while the boys cross country team was pleased with their solid season and football announced they were looking for fresh talent for next year. The cheerleaders put on a good routine in order to get the students excited for the football game, today at RHAM. The rally was ended with a tug of war game between seniors and sophomores with the seniors yet again taking the victory. All of the teams had an excellent season and look forward to continuing their success next year. All of RHAM students are encouraged to come out and watch the game today against Bacon Academy.

Winter Sports Begin

Now that winter is upon us, the winter sports are beginning. The girls basketball team is currently undergoing tryouts and will have their first league game on December 12th against Middletown. The boys basketball team will commence their tryouts soon and their first scrimmage is on December 8th, and their first league game against Berlin is on the 18th. The indoor track teams will start practice on December 1st and will compete in their first meet on December 13th.The swim team will have their first meet on December 27th at Windham High School. The wrestling team will have their first meet away at Bacon Academy on December 6th. The gymnastics team will have their first meet on January 3rd against Windham High School.

To see all the sports schedules go to http://www.rhamhs.reg8.k12.ct.us/Sports/Sports.htm

Holiday Travel

According to courant.com, gas prices may be falling but most families in Connecticut will be staying near home during this Thanksgiving holiday. The price of regular gasoline averaged on Monday at $2.06, which was less than half the average gasoline price on July 11, which was $4.39 a gallon. About 41 million people in the U.S. is still planning to travel for the holiday and 81% of them are planning to drive and 11% are flying. The rest of people traveling are planning to take a train or bus. This isn't the first holiday, that there has been a decline in travel. Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day weekends have also had fewer travelers than in 2007, according to AAA. Bradley International Airport is expecting the total passenger traffic for this year to drop about 7% as to last year. AAA has also reported that air passengers should assume to pay about 8% more than last year for airfare and that the rental car prices are to be about 4% more than last year's cost.

-photo courtesy of http://www.spineuniverse.com/

Friday's Car Crash - Update

The car accident reported by RHAM News on Friday was a two-car accident. According to a member of the Hebron Fire Department who was at the scene, there was no alcohol involved in the crash. There were no injuries or fatalities.

"Twilight" hits theaters

The new movie "Twilight" came out this Friday. The movie is based off the book "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer. The book is a love story with a twist - a vampire twist.Ever since the series came out the book has been a huge hit with teenagers and the movie was expected to be amazing. Many of the fans were worried that the movie wouldn't be like the book. Many times when books go to movies the movies go off from the real point of the story.

After seeing "Twilight" I do believe that the makers of the movie did an amazing job sticking to the original story line. I have read the Twilight series and the movie did stick to the way the books are. The only problem is that the movie makes the story seem more like a horror movie. The book definitely is more of a twisted love story, no horror to it at all. Yes the book is about vampires but it is definatly not a scary story. The movie did hit all the important parts of the story. It shows the love between the two main characters,Edward and Bella, and goes through the struggles of Edward being a vampire. If you get a chance I definitely say that you should see the movie. Its not just a love story. The movie has action and suspense with the love story blended in.Even if you never read the book you would enjoy the movie. I would give the movie a 5 out of 5 (0-being the worst and 5-the best). And if you've seen the movie you would love to read the book. I would definitely recommend everyone seeing this movie.

5:58 PM: Car Crash on Rt. 66

There is a motor vehicle crash on Route 66 about a mile west of the center of Hebron. As of this writing (5:30 pm), traffic is severely backed up on both sides of the scene. Commuters would do well to avoid Rt. 66.

More details to follow.

Terns

Typically grey with white plumage, they have webbed feet and are about 23 cm tall. They are called terns, migrational seabirds that have worldwide distriution. Every year, the terns make a migration to the warm climate of South America. Here in Connecticut, many terns can be found on the local wildlife sanctuary Faulkner Island located in Guilford, Connecticut. However, even in this sanctuary, these little birds are in danger. The tern lays their eggs in open nests, making them prime targets for predators. One RHAM teacher, Margaret Quinn felt passionately for the struggle of the terns and contacted the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge wanting to know what she and the school community could do to help these little birds. Established in 1997, the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge was created to "conserve, protect and enhance the abundance and diversity of native plant, fish and wildlife species and the ecosystems on which they depend throughout the 7.2 million-acre Connecticut River watershed". This watershed area is home to many species of migratory birds, including the tern. During the summer of 2008, Mrs. Quinn led an assortment of locals, including RHAM teachers Mr. Deliman, Mr. Moyer, Principal Leslie, among others, as well as Marlborough First Selectmen Bill Black in the construction of three hundred tern nests. These nests are small wooden boxes closed at the top, but with a mesh window over the top of the doorway. The terns lay their eggs in the dark back of the nests, with the mesh window for ventalation and comfort. RHAM technology education teachers George Deliman and Keith Moyer cut the wood for the nests while all the other volunteers assisted in putting the nests together. In exchange for their honorable work, RHAM science teachers are permitted to use the island for research and experiments with their classes. In the future, there are plans to expand this program to allow more field trips and research to be done throughout RHAM's science curriculum. If you have interest in supporting this cause, please visit Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge website at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/Conte/ccphome.html.

Smashing Pumpkins Ignite Crowd at Mohegan Sun

Last Sunday, November 16, the Smashing Pumpkins performed at the Mohegan Sun Arena In Uncasville Connecticut celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band. The eight piece band performed to a psychedelic pattern with flashing colours and geometric shapes leaving the appearance of the stage very club-like. Billy Corgan, lead singer and guitarist, lit up the crowd with his high energy and lyrical composition. Ginger Reyes, the newest member of the group and bassist gave the song "G.L.O.W" a defined, heavy feel while guitarist Jeff Schroeder added spark to the pulsating "Mayonaise" and accompanied Corgan's riff to the song very nicely. Violins and brass were used on the song "Today" to add subtle fills, while "Cherub Rock" was less forgiving with its heavy riffs and even a primal scream uttered from Corgan. The band thrived off the crowd's energy and unleashed "raucous abandon" in their performance. Arrangements ranged from heavy, atmospheric thump and grind tones such as "Bodies" to more melodic, ballad like ones such as "Disarm". The Smashing Pumpkins covered the popular "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac was covered with an acoustic guitar by Corgan and was a nice transition from the thrashing electronic feel. The group opted to end the show with an encore and they covered Pink Floyd's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun." People enjoyed the non stop energy that the band gave and were excited to see the band still together today.



source: www.courant.com

Deadly Attack in Hartford Leaves Student Dead

A 19 year old student taking a break from class in the Urban League of Greater Hartford was stabbed multiple times by three males who approached him.

According to Courant.com, the stabbing occurred around 11 a.m. on Wednesday outside the building on Woodland Street, as the student was taking a break from his General Education Development class.

According to Police Daryl K. Roberts, the teen was targeted by someone he knew, and the attackers were lying in wait, ready to attack the teen when he was most vulnerable or alone.

The teen suffered severe neck and chest wounds and was pronounced dead around 2:45 p.m Thursday.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Hartford Police Major Crimes Division Sgt. Rob Davis at (860)757-4256 or the Hartford Crime Stoppers at (860)722-TIPS(8477).

Deadly Confrontation Leads to Gun Fire

A small argument in a Stafford home became deadly Thursday morning. A group of people, all of whom knew each other, gathered at a Stafford house Wednesday night into Thursday morning when an argument took place.

According to Courant.com, at about 1 a.m., one man, Jason Devoid, 29, then pulled out a handgun during the dispute. Another man struggled for the gun, cutting Devoid on the forehead in the process, gained possession of the gun, and fired two shots into the ceiling to try to gain control of the fight.

Devoid fled the scene but was later caught by police at a friends house and arrested.

According to Courant.com, "Devoid was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, second-degree threatening, first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of stolen property and breach of peace, police said. He is in police custody on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court in Rockville Friday."

Parking Update: New Spaces?

Here at RHAM High School, space can be tight when it comes to student parking. However, High School Principal Scott Leslie has a plan. According to Principal Leslie, most of the lower student parking lot is being filled up by RHAM Middle School teachers, while much of the Middle School teacher's lot is left open. In cooperation with RHAM Middle School Principal Michael Seroussi, Mr. Leslie plans to assign specific numbered spaces to RHAM Middle School teachers to assure that all Middle School parking spaces are full. According to Mr. Leslie, this process is to take place over the next three weeks and is expected to free up thirty to fifty new spaces in the RHAM High School student parking lot.

Superintendent's Office Complete and Occupied

At long last, RHAM's new administrative space is complete and occupied. Dr. Siminski, Superintendent of Region 8 Schools, Bill Mazarra, Financial Manager, and Kathy Mund, Administrative Assistant are all settling into their new offices. Some pictures of the new space:

The conference room

Kathy Mund, Administrative Assistant

The central corridor

Financial Manger Bill Mazarra's office

Superintendent Dr. Robert Siminski hard at work

Pirates Attack Oil Tanker

In Mogadishu, Somalia, pirates seized an oil tanker. The tanker, the Sirius Star, had 100 million dollars worth of crude oil aboard the ship. The Iranian vessel captured was the seventh in twelve days. Ships area now being forced to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, in order to avoid any more hijackings. This means that the ships will have to travel thousands of extra miles, which will take days longer than originally planned.

Many Somali officials are looking into the matter and are proposing to win the tanker back by force if necessary. This is the largest tanker as well as the farthest from the coast, to ever be captured. The Sirius Star was holding 2 million barrels of oil and was 450 nautical miles from the coast.



Information courtesy of msnbc.com.

High Levels of Uranium found in Madison Schools

According to courant.com, very high levels of uranium was found in the well of two Madison, CT schools. This has forced officals to shut off water fountains and give out bottled water. The town has tested the water after the school officals received anonymous tips on October 28, that uranium has been found in the groundwater in nearby homes. "The town's other schools are not affected," Hale said, "because they get water from Connecticut Water Co., which regularly tests for such contaminants.". The test results came back on Thursday and said the two school's water had about 110 micrograms of uranium per liter. Officals held a meeting last night at Brown Middle School for anyone who had any questions or concerns. Hopefully, the problems at the two Madison schools will be fixed in the near future.

"007: Quantum of Solace" Review

His second time as the role, Daniel Craig (James Bond) brings us back into the world of secret agents and devious plots in the most recent 007 film, "Quantum of Solace". The film picks up after the last film released, "Casino Royale", with Bond determined to find out about the strange organization behind the blackmailing of the love of his life. Unlike many previous Bond films, Bond does not have several thousand dollars worth of gadgets at his disposal. Most of the time, Bond is on his own, with only his gun to stop his foes. However, this is more than made up for by the intense action scenes, such as a pursuit across rooftops, and high speed car chases. The film also explores the darker, more human side of Bond, showing that even he is victim to the tempation of revenge, causing even his own organization to doubt him. "Quantum of Solace" is an intense addition to the growing collection of Bond movies, and it is definitely worth seeing.

In the News

[The following information was provided by the RHAM Honors Global Studies class.]

TODAY IN THE NEWS:


Israel is Willing to Attack Iran before a Nuclear Weapon is Obtained

Summary:

Israel plans to attack Iran before Iran can obtain nuclear weapons. This is because of Iran’s many threats of violence directed towards the nation of Israel. Some military officials within Israel claim Iran isn’t a massive threat, and these people believe Iran will attack by means of conventional warfare. Other officials within Israel claim Iran may have the chance to use nuclear weapons, and want a full peace treaty between nations against nuclear weapons, which is a lopsided negotiation as Israel possesses nuclear arms, and Iran does not.

Analysis:
As Iran moves forward with violent threats aimed at Israel, Israel is fabricating plans to halt the threat of Iran. One of these methods that Israel is considering is a pre-emptive strike designed to cripple nuclear research and production in Iran. This idea brings intense speculation and controversy around the world, as groups such as the European Union and the United States fear that an attack on Iran could yield a war, nuclear or conventional. Also, a strike on Iran’s nuclear heart may bring up other questions. Why should Iran be denied nuclear power, as other nations are allowed to pursue it? Israel’s proclamation that they will, if necessary, attack Iran adds more heat to the overall conflict of Iran’s nuclear proliferation.

[More information on this topic is available at:
http://www.rhamhs.reg8.k12.ct.us/Departments/Technology%20Education/Website/nuclear.rtf ]

Game Reveiw: Tom Clancy's ENDWAR

Based on a book by the New York Time's best selling author Tom Clancy comes a revolutionary war game. Set in the year 2020 - 3 years after terrorists have knocked out the Saudi Arabian's oil supply - the nations of Europe have joined together to create the European Federation and Russia has returned to power. These and other world events have pushed the worlds supper powers into WW3. The player takes command of one of the three factions/armies and moves to take control of the world. Combining what is known as real time strategy and the new voice command software the game moves as fast as you can make the next move. Troops can be deployed, moved, and told to attack the enemy by simply pressing a button and speaking an order into the XBOX 360 microphone or PlayStation 3 microphone. I feel that this game is a step ahead of the rest and I would give it a 9 out of 10 for great graphics and a fun experience. The story certanly makes you think.....WHAT IF?

RHAM Benefit Concert

RHAM is hosting its semi-annual 9/11 Benefit concert of the year this Friday, November 21. The show will be hosted in the Auditorium by the very own students here at RHAM. The show begins at 7:00 p.m and the ending time is scheduled to be around 10:00 p.m. Bands performing will be new and old including the trio of graduates that make the indie/hardcore band Exit Ghost, newcomer hardcore band A Day Late consisting of five sophomores and one junior, The Tension, four junior students whose heavy alternative rock fusion gives the crowd a kick of energy and The second graduates trio, The Purse Snatchers, whose Folk Punk feel always gets the audience moving. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 5 dollars and all proceeds will go to 9/11 scholarship. There's good band, good people and a good time so there is no reason why anyone would should not go! Any questions? Contact pursesnatchersbooking@gmail.com :)

[The following information was provided by the RHAM Honors Global Studies class.]

Today In The News:

The conflict with the Taliban vs. Pakistan rages
Summary: The Taliban and Pakistan are involved in constant battles. The constant conflict and harm to the citizens of Pakistan have led to mass political instability. Recently Pakistan forces liberated 34 miles from the Taliban. This was a very crucial gain because this suppresses the Taliban forces. Hopefully Pakistan can continue to push back the Taliban and begin to focus more on the development of their country.

Analysis: This is a glimmer of hope for the struggling Pakistan. If they can continue to beat back the Taliban they can avoid more internal conflict. The Taliban consists of many Pakistani Muslim extremists that believe in overtaking Pakistan. The current Pakistan government is very unstable and needs to end this constant conflict. On a more minor note Pakistan also has again been having feuds with India. If they can resolve the Taliban dilemma, they then must focus on foreign communications.

For further information on this topic go to:
http://www.rhamhs.reg8.k12.ct.us/Departments/Technology%20Education/Website/taliban.txt

Manchester has made drug arrests

A suspected drug dealer was arrested on Thursday afternoon, according to police. The man is being charged with several drug charges, including operating a drug factory and possession of marijuana with the intent of selling. He is being held on $75,000 bond and is going to appear in court on November 26. Another man was arrested on Tuesday night for being found in possession of an ounce of marijuana. Police filed some other charges like being in possession of a drug within 1500 feet of a school, intent to sell 1500 feet from a school.

-information courtesy of www.courant.com

RHAM Archery shoots for first time this year

On Wednesday, November 12th, RHAM archery went to Andover Archery to shoot with their new equipment. The club shot with their new Geneis compound bows. The Geneis compound bows the club got were made for beginners. The club got funds to get equipment at the end of last year. RHAM archery hopes to keep shooting with their new equipment many times throughout this year.

Same Sex Marriage in CT

As of November 12,this past Wednesday, Connecticut can officially marry same sex couples. As of Wednesday, Connecticut can officially hand out marriage licenses to same sex couples. Four years ago Massachusetts began to marry same sex couples and now Connecticut has followed. Many people believe that since people are now on the idea of gay rights they are more comfortable with gay and lesbian couples.

Even though Connecticut has taken a step into accepting gay and lesbian couples, many states voted against it in the recent election. Voters in California, Arizona and Florida all voted down the right to marry gay couples. This was a shock for many Californians because since this past June there have been over 17,000 gay and lesbian weddings.

Even though very few states allow gay marriage, many people living in Connecticut believe we are taking the right path on the issue. People in East Haven and Bristol are excited by the new law and are supporting everyone who is able to get married now.

(info found on courant.com)

College Prices Rise Yet Again

Bad news for all families with teenage children, the price of attending a state university rose again. According to Courant.com, figures posted on Wednesday said that the prices for state universities rose another 6.4%.

James Boyle, president of the group College Parents of America said, "At a time of flattening wages, widespread job losses and shrinking home values, the last thing parents need is another big increase in the cost of college." This price increase is causing even more difficulties for families struggling to support college education costs.

But, there is some hope for slight help in the cost category. This is in the form of financial aid, grants, and scholarships. Many financial aids can help families greatly in their attempts to pay for a student's time in college. The sad truth about financial aid is that there is a high demand for the help from families and maybe become less and less existent.

According to The Courant, for those looking to attend college soon, all financial aid options should be considered before making a decision about where you do or do not want to attend college.

RHAM's Opponent Determined For Volleyball State Finals

The RHAM volleyball team will play Jonathan Law at 8 pm. The location of the game is at Newington High School.

UPDATE: Mentally Distraught Man In East Hampton

The standoff that took place on Wednesday the 12th in East Hampton ended late that night when police entered the 44 year old man's home to find him dead from a self inflicted gun shot wound to the head in a bed room on the second story of his Main Street home. His name has not yet been released.


Police made many attempts to contact the man but all failed. Nearby homes were evacuated for safety but nothing worked. Sadly the standoff ended at 12 o clock that night when police enterd the home and found the man dead.



Story from Courant.com

RHAM Soccer

Last night,November 12th, the RHAM boys soccer team had there quarter finales.RHAM lost the game 0-2 to East Lyme. The boys played a good game and stayed strong, even though the game kicked them out of states. The seniors on the team played an amazing last game.

RHAM Volleyball Advances to Finals

The RHAM volleyball team has advanced to the state tournament finals, beating semifinal opponent Griswold (ranked #5 in the state) this evening. RHAM lost the first game by a score of 29-27, but then came back to win the next three by scores of 25-19, 25-15, and 25-16. The state championship will be played on Friday, but RHAM's opponent has not yet been determined.

Mentaly Distraught Man In East Hampton

On Wednesday November 12 part of Main Street East Hampton was closed due to a man who reportedly locked himself in his own house and was threatening suicide. East Hampton police closed the street around 3 o clock Wednesday after noon and set up a staging area at the top of the street by the Liberty Bank on the intersection of Main Street and Rt. 66. The Middletown swat team was called in later in the day to help the East Hampton police control the situation.

We will try to keep up dated as more information is known.

Gas prices still continue to drop in Connecticut

The price of gas in Connecticut continues to drop tremendously for the fourth month in a row, according to courant.com. As of Tuesday, the price for regular gas has dropped to $2.36, a gallon from the $3.20, a gallon from Mid-October for Connecticut. The price of gas, a year ago in Connecticut was $3.20, a gallon. Diesel has also been dropping because now diesel fuel is $3.46, a gallon. Diesel was $4.02, a month ago for Connecticut. The average gas price has gone down to $3.16 to $2.22, a gallon for the entire United States. New Jersey is where the cheapest gas is in the Northeast. The gas in New Jersey is at $2.18, a gallon.

-photo courtesy of http://www.gpsobsessed.com/

Inauguration Scalped

The official Presidential Inauguration for elect Barack Obama has been announced for January 20, 2009. The Inauguration is to take place in Washington D.C. with only 240,000 seats available. According to the Associated Press, scalped tickets to the ceremony are expected to be priced at least $40,000 online. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California is overseeing the entire ceremony and has urged internet sites such as ebay not to sell scalped inauguration tickets, and is even considering crafting a bill that would make it a federal crime to buy or sell scalped inauguartion tickets. According to http://www.courant.com/, the tickets are supposed to be free and distributed through congressional offices. In order to prevent scalping, tickets will not be released until shortly before the ceremony.

Locations Revealed for Semifinal Games

The locations for the semifinal boys soccer and volleyball states games have been announced. The RHAM boys soccer team will play East Lyme in Rocky Hill at 6 pm on November 12th. Also on November 12th, the RHAM volleyball team will play Griswold in Cheshire at 5 pm.

RHAM Boys Soccer Team Will Advance to Semifinals

The RHAM boys soccer team defeated North Haven on Saturday afternoon. The game could not decided in regular play or over time and resulted in penalty kicks. Each team took 5 penalty kicks and RHAM scored 3 out of 5. RHAM's scorers were Sean Vieten, Dan Fish, and Jack Taute. RHAM's goalie Kyle Fromme did a great job in goal only allowing one of North Haven's shots to go in. These penalty kicks decided the game. RHAM will now advance to the semifinals where they will play the number 5 seed East Lyme.

RHAM Volleyball Team Will Advance to Semifinals

The RHAM volleyball team defeated Avon on Friday night, in the quarterfinal game in the class M state tournament. The Sachems won 3 games to 0. The scores of the games were 25-23, 25-9, and 25-9.They will now advance to the semifinals. They will play Griswold, the number 5 seed on Wednesday, November 12th.

Voter Turnout Results

According to statistics collected by cnn.com, the total number of voters on election day this year was between 126.8 and 128.8 million. This was an all-time record in terms of total voters, breaking the record set four years ago at 122.2 million. However, in terms of percentage of registered voters who actually voted, this election fell short of the all time mark. 61.2% of voters coming out was not enough to surpass the 1960 record of 67%.

According to FOX News, however, 91% of registered Connecticut voters turned up at the polls on election day. This was significantly higher than the overall U.S. average of 56% over all recorded elections.

Some researchers account these numbers to the increased emphasis on campaigns to get out the vote for this election. Slogans like "Rock the Vote" and informational commercials on how to register to vote caused an increased turnout at the polls for this election cycle.

Boys Soccer Quarter Finals Postponed

The quarterfinal boys soccer game has been postponed. They will now play North Haven at home on Saturday at 1 pm.

RHAM Boys Soccer Team to Play In Quarter Finals

The RHAM boys soccer team will play North Haven, the number 16 seed, at home on Friday afternoon. The game is a quarterfinal states game and will be at 2 pm.

Loss of Michael Crichton

Primetime Emmy winner and beloved author Michael Crichton has succumbed to his battle with cancer at age 66. Crichton is famous for his works such as the Oscar winning Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, and Twister. As the son of a journalist, Crichton was born in Chicago, Illinois, but moved to Roslyn, New York, at a young age. Michael was a beloved author, director, and producer in the world of entertainment. Our condolences go out to the Crichton family in this time of tragedy.



Source: http://www.imdb.com/

Correction

The Andover Exit poll results were not accurate. I did not do the necessary work to get accurate results. I apologize for this.

-Shelby

[Editor's Note: RHAM News apologizes for the inaccurate information and steps have been taken to prevent a recurrence.]

Editorial - Student Opinion

[The following opinion piece was written by students in the RHAM Honors Global Studies class.]

Dear Editor:

We are citizens concerned about stereotypes held by certain people in the U.S. about Arabs, Muslims and the entire Middle East. At a recent political rally in Minnesota, a woman was quoted saying:
“I can’t trust Obama. I have read about him and he’s not – he’s not – he’s a – he’s an Arab”. She was later quoted saying: “You can't trust Barack Hussein Obama because he is a Muslim and a terrorist," using his middle name to make him sound like a threat.
The lady mistakenly thought that Obama was an Arab and a Muslim and therefore concluded he was a terrorist. Being a Muslim or an Arab does not mean that you are a terrorist, or a bad person in any way.
Our reason for writing this does not have anything to do with the election, but the overall misconception of Arabs and Muslims, and how Obama is just an example of how this happens every day. Unlike many similar instances of stereotyping and prejudice that go unnoticed, this example was brought to our attention because of the publicity around the upcoming election.
Our mission in writing this is to correct these stereotypes. A stereotype is a judgment of a whole group of people based on characteristics or behaviors of a few examples. Just as it would be wrong to judge all Americans by the hateful actions of Christian extremist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, it is equally wrong to judge all Arabs by the few terrorists who participated in 9/11.

Below is the real definition of “Arab”, in contrast to the commonly-held negative stereotype:

Real Definition:
An “Arab” is a member of an ethnic group derived from the Arabian Peninsula.

Negative Stereotype:
All “Arabs” are extremist Muslims who are terrorists, who hate the USA and have goals to destroy it

Instead of these negative stereotypes, here are some facts:

Definition of Muslim: Someone who follows the religion of Islam.

Definition of Extremist: Someone who has extreme views and is willing to go to any length to get their point across.

Definition of Terrorist: Someone who uses fear as a means to control people; someone who violates the rules of war as defined in the Geneva Conventions.

Clarifications:
#1: Not all Arabs are Muslims.
#2: Not all Muslims are Arab.
#3: Not all Arabs are terrorists.
#4: Not all Muslims are terrorists.
#5: Not all terrorists are Muslim.
#6: There are terrorists from many nations and religions. For example, the largest terrorist attack on US soil before 9/11 was committed by Christian Extremists in Oklahoma City.
#7: Not all terrorism is focused on the US.

The United States is a diverse nation that is based on equality and freedom for all. From the time of the first Pilgrims, people came to this country to be free from persecution, yet today we find ourselves persecuting others by discriminating against Arabs and Muslims. Such stereotypes not only build barriers between different groups of people, but also go against the very principles of the country we are trying to defend today.

Thank you for your attention,

Concerned Citizens from RHAM HS

CNN Projects Obama Win

At 11:00 PM on 11/4/08, CNN projected that Barack Obama would achieve 297 electoral votes - 27 more than the 270 needed - and become the next President-elect of the United States of America.

UPDATE: Hebron Election Results

The official numbers are in for Hebron!

Obama: 2954 (55%)
McCain: 2285 (43%)
Nader: 78 (1%)
Blank: 10

Sen. John McCain had a stronger showing than both Connecticut's track record and early exit polls suggested, but Sen. Obama edged him out by a solid margin. Connecticut has, as of this writing, forecast to vote solidly for Sen. Obama. Nevertheless, Hebron seems to be a little redder than its neighbors.

Other results:

Congress:
Blank: 273
Sean Sullivan (Republican): 1860
Joe Courtney: 3058
G. Scott DeSheffy (Green Party): 52

State Senator: Edith Prague
State Representative: Pamela Sawyer
Republican Registrar of Voters: James Derby
Democratic Registrar of Voters: Elizabeth Fitzgerald

“Shall there be a Constitutional Convention to amend or revise the
Constitution of the State?”
Blank: 424
Yes: 1730
No: 3122

“Shall the constitution of the state be amended to permit any person
who will have attained the age of eighteen years on or before the day
of a regular election to vote in the primary for such regular election?”
Blank: 441
Yes: 3096
No: 1739


There was a minor problem with the tabulation when Hebron's polls closed at 8:00. One of the sealed bags that was to be used to store ballots ripped, and there were no replacement bags available. After some confusion, the moderators sealed the ballots within one of the ballot boxes. There was a brief delay in the tallying, but no problems otherwise.

Special thanks to Shelby and Derek for help in gathering polling data.

Season Ends For RHAM Girls Soccer Team

The RHAM girls soccer team lost to Torrington on Tuesday afternoon. The final score of the game was 4 to. 3. RHAM goals were scored by Amanda Smith, and Audra Ayotte. This was a first round state tournament game. Due to the loss, the soccer season is over for the Sachems.

A Look at the Vote

Some footage from Hebron Elementary School, where Hebron voters were casting their ballots in this year's election:

BREAKING: Exit Poll Results from Hebron and Marlborough

RHAM News has been at local polling places doing exit surveys. Here are the results we have right now:

Marlborough:
77% - Barack Obama, Democrat
19% - John McCain, Republican
4% - Bob Barr, Libertarian

Hebron:
65% - Barack Obama, Democrat
35% - John McCain, Republican

The Andover exit poll results are as follows..
65% Obama
31% McCain
4% Bob Barr, Liberaterian

It seems as though the majority of Andover is voting for Democratic Candidate Barack Obama. John McCain has about half of Obama's vote and Bob Barr comes in last with 4% of the vote.

N.B: These results are based on small sample sizes and are exit polls, and should not be taken as definitive. They will, however, serve as a general impression of the towns' votes.


It seems that Senator Obama has a decisive lead over Senator McCain, whichis unsurprising given Connecticut's historically liberal bent. Marlborough is swinging more to the Democratic side than is Hebron, though this may change as more votes come in. We will post the results of our Andover exit polls for you as soon as we can, and we will have the actual vote counts
soon after polls close. Stay tuned for the latest in your local election coverage!

Girls Soccer will play in State Tournament

RHAM Girls Soccer are going to be playing in the first round of the state tournament on Tuesday, November 4th at Torrington High School. The start of the game will start at 4 p.m.

-photo courtesy of www.rhamgirlssoccer.googlepages.com

Pay To Park

RHAM High School administration has been discussing the idea of a new pay to park program for next year. A few things have motivated this discussion - one is the budget for next year. Since America has been having economic struggle the administration thinks that the budget that they propose might not be what they get. So having students pay to park might help with the money they need. Also there are not enough parking spots for all the teachers and students who need it, so the students start to take teacher's spots.

The fee will be set somewhere between $50-$200. Also, just like pay to play for sports and clubs, a form must be filled out with some information such as the kind of car, your license plate number, insurance, and contacts in case of emergency. After the students pay they will receive a sticker that can be put on their windshield so that it is easily recognizable by the staff who are monitoring the parking lot.

The staff is going to strictly enforce this new pay to park, and if you take someone's spot that they paid for and you didn't pay you will get towed. This will ensure that the people who have paid the amount will get what they paid for. Also the other worry is that the school needs to make the line between teacher and student parking clearer.

[The following information was provided by the RHAM Honors Global Studies class[

Today in the News:
Outside forces affect movement in War on Terror
Terrorism is still striking, harder and lighter.

Summary: Recently, the outiside U.S. dilemmas have pushed the War on Terror to the backburner as the economy has been the main fear. However, terrorism is still striking. Torture in Guatemano Bay has pushed its way to the top of concerns as recent investigations showed that human rights are being neglected. Three NATO soldiers and sixteen civilians have also died in Afghanistan by attacks of Al Qaeda. Al Qaeda is losing momentum as recent mountaining deaths causes Taliban leaders to split with Al Qaeda in an overall quest for peace.
Analysis: In recent years, the focus has been on the War on Terror for United States citizens. With recent events, it has been outshined and placed on the back burner. This is a problem becaue the American people are still at risk, and this threat hasn't been noticed. Around the world, other attacks have bombarded new countries causing not only the United States to be at risk, but many other places around the world, as well. As a positive note, though, the Taliban split from Al Qaeda giving them less power and hopefully will eliminate the multitude of attacks. In conclusion, US citizens need to wake up and notice the threat at hand, along with new countries around the world.

[Further analysis of this topic is available at:
http://www.rhamhs.reg8.k12.ct.us/Departments/Technology%20Education/Website/waronterror.txt ]