a familiarstranger

Bailey and Tyler Swanson’s story, pg 5

The culture of firearms Page 10

Sitting down witha Roller Derby star

Page 12

Football, volleyballheading to playoffs

Back Page

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It’s the age of technology. iPads dominate students’ backpacks. iPhones live in their pockets. iPods, wheth-

er teachers like it or not, are constantly finding their way into kids’ hands all day long. Through the years, technology has gained favor in the world.

Over the summer, TISD spent $115,000 on the journey toward a more tech-friendly future, with 175 additional wifi access points added to schools across the district. This means that more areas of the school are covered with an available internet signal. Currently, there are about 500 access points in the district, 92 of those right here on campus.

Thirty years ago, computers were rarely found in a person’s home let alone a school. Today, there is an abundance of computers as well as tablets and other computer-inspired devices.

The department of technology has been working on upgrading the school to an open-wifi system. This will allow students to connect to the school’s internet legally with their own laptops, tablets, iPods, or smart phones under the supervision of a teacher.

If used responsibly, technology can be a very helpful tool in the development of an education curriculum. “Responsibly” is the key word here. The same web

Leanne Haasco-editor in chief

D i s t r i c t s p e n d s $ 1 1 5 , 0 0 0 o n w i - f i a c c e s s p o i n t s i n s c h o o l s

• 92 new wifi access points

• $115,000 district upgrade

• Laptop and iPad carts

meow

• “All of the above” strategy to develop every avail-able source of American-made energy — including oil, gas, clean coal, wind, solar, biofuels, nuclear — and taking steps to protect our climate

• Believes a woman’s health care choices are person-al decisions, best made with her doctor — without interference from politicians

• Improved Medicare by adding free preventive care, closing the “doughnut hole” saving seniors an av-erage of $600 last year, and extended the life of Medicare by 8 years by eliminating $716 billion in waste, fraud and abuse

• Set a goal to cut tuition growth in half over the next decade with a plan to double campus-based student aid and incentives for schools that are suc-cessful at keeping tuition growth down

• Wants to reform No Child Left Behind by emphasiz-ing transparency and responsibility for results

• Wants to attract and reward great teachers through increased flexibility and block grants

• Plans to eliminate unnecessary certification re-quirements that discourage new teachers

• Will allow low income and special needs students to choose which school to attend by making Title I and IDEA funds portable

• Will provide incentives for states to increase choices for parents and develop quality alterna-tives

• Plans to build on the success of effective charter and digital schools

• Plans to expand the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program to serve as a model for the nation

let’s talk

PoliticsPresident Obama vs. Mitt Romney

Which candidate do you support? Go online to thscougarclaw.com and

take the poll, and remember to vote on November 6!

news

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Wood Shop teacher John Toreson is ecstatic for the improvements being

made in his class. New vocational training methods will allow his students to be bet-ter prepared entering the workforce after high school.

Toreson has been working intensive-ly to establish this program for students because he knows that even in this de-pressed economy, people are still finding work in the construction industry. For three years, he has tried to implement a program with a wider range of construc-tion trade areas.

Finally, through the Perking Grant, Tore-son has been able to accomplish his dream for his students.

“They can go out and learn some job skills, and go get a job,” Toreson said. “This is geared more toward finding em-ployment. That’s why it’s called Building Skills.”

Now students will gain more experience with a variety of building skills. This will also help them determine if their interest and aptitudes are suited for a construction career. For instance, with such an array of concepts, students will be able to deter-mine their place in the construction field more specific to their individual interest.

The range of trades that Toreson will teach in his new architecture/construction

program is much more diverse than before. Now students will learn build-ing skills in the following construction fields: blue-print reading, cabinet making, electrical finish carpentry, hand tools, heating, ventilation & air conditioning, plumbing, power tools, roof fram-ing, tile setting, wall framing and green technology.

The Paxton and Patterson’s Building Skills program will start next semester. This program will build a more successful construction education system through the new techniques that will help teach the concept more thoroughly. The students will learn in 10-day intervals, where they will get to work with a different skill set like electrical or carpentry.

Each activity will accommodate an instruction DVD. To follow along with the DVD, there will be photos and written text to reinforce what they learned. That way all the professional tools, equipment and video match the directions perfectly.

These tools will be full size and por-

table so that students comprehend the construction process to increase their knowledge and skills to a certain extent of reality.

Through this program, students will become more eligible for the construction industry and a career after they graduate high school. The Building Skills program will help improve dropout rates and help students obtain a career after high school.

In fact, this program is a certification program by the National Construction Career and Educational Research of the NCCER that contractors will recognize.

“A lot of kids are excited about getting their certification,” Toreson said. “It’ll give them an edge.”

Woodshop goes vocat ional

Alexis Aguilarstaff writer

filters that are available for every laptop and computer in the district will also affect students’ devices. That means no Facebook.

The department of technology is working on a project, however, that would allow teachers and staff to access social media sites through district devices and computers while still maintaining the same internet safety for students.

The department is also working on a way to make YouTube more available to the classroom, as educational videos are often a

useful tool in school.Thomas Brawley, head of TISD’s depart-

ment of technology, envisions the future classroom as a learning center where teach-ers are “not lecturers, but facilitators” of devices, where research on multiple sub-jects would make the learning process easier and faster.

THS currently owns 147 student laptops - you know, the ones that are rolled around in the big blue carts. There are a total of seven of these carts in the school, and about 15

iPads on a cart in the library.Devices such as the iPad are still evolv-

ing, and they still cannot replace the good, old-fashioned desktop computer. This is because tablets and smartphones still do not have the ability to create.

Sure, there are some useful apps out there, but until programs such as Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, or Excel become avail-able on these devices as well, computers will remain the most efficient and favored device for productivity.

D i s t r i c t s p e n d s $ 1 1 5 , 0 0 0 o n w i - f i a c c e s s p o i n t s i n s c h o o l s

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Pōst sē·crət: Where anonymously written secrets

finally come out of the dark.Drop yours off at Room 1201.

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LETTERSEDITORSto

the

Dear Editor,I think Tomball should have a

block schedule, because it would enable us to focus more on our core subjects. We would have more time in our classes, which means more time for our teachers to get their points across or to further explain a lesson. It would also give our foot-ball team more time to practice. Actually, all of our teams will have more practice time.

I feel that if this block schedule was put in place, Tomball could be brought to its full potential.

Mariah May Dear Mariah,

While I understand where you are coming from, I cringe at the thought of having 2 hours of Algebra class. Having a block schedule would also mean that our classes would be split up into two days, which means we would only get to have that class every other day. Now that sounds great, if there is a certain class you can’t bear to be in, and need a break from it. But my concern is that this schedule would take away from important elective classes.

The sports teams already have practice outside of school to begin with, and we must keep electives other than sports in mind.The jour-nalism department comes to mind for me. While having two hours to work with the staff in Newspaper would be nice, it would mean that we would only get together every other day, and not a whole lot would get done, especially when news is such a daily kind of thing.

I also would fear for the broadcast journalism class, because they must produce two videos every week.

That would be nearly impossible if they only got together a few times a week. Same goes for Yearbook. So while the concept is nice, the block schedule would not be ideal for many school programs.

Leanne Haas,Co-editor-in-chief

Dear Editor,I think I’m in love with you. It’s

not necessarily set in stone; I’m still deciding my feelings. I’ve oft stared at the (straight/curls) to be found in your (red/blonde/black/brown/oth-er) hair. The twinkle in your (blue/green/brown) eyes sends my heart into a tumultuous frenzy drumming in my chest the song of unrequited love. I’ve taken the liberty of refur-nishing the window sills outside your house. Oh, no worries, my sweet; it’s free of charge.

I thought perhaps you were in need of more easily perched-on win-dows for… erm… bird watching. Yes, bird watching. Also, I’d suggest using less harsh lighting in your home, it does not help with the lighting in your photos taken from outside. Or, I mean, I would assume so. Anyways, on a lighter note, I made your bed for you this morning.

Love always,Blake Jackson

Dear Blake,We would like to thank you for the

beautifully furbished windowsills; it was so sweet of you to remember our love of bird watching. Now we can cancel that off our order from the American Birding Society. And really, Blake, your flattery is too much. Your attention to detail makes

us blush; we oft change our hair from straight to curly and between red/blonde/black/brown/various other. Also, thank you for letting us know about the harsh lighting, which we thought complimented our ever- morphing hair.

And let us know when you’re seri-ous, ‘cause we’re serious about you. Stop playing with us already. By the way, thank you for making the bed, XO

Leanne Haas & Rain ShanksCo-editors in Chief

Dear Editor,In this letter I want to thank all

the people who welcomed us ex-change students so friendly and made it so easy for us to learn how the American school works. If any of us got lost, didn’t know what was going on or just didn’t understand the assignment, there was always someone who helped us or explained everything to us, and that made and still make the American school life way easier. -Alina NyBing,

exchange student from Germany Dear Alina,

I am so happy to hear that you have enjoyed your experience here at Tomball High School! It is not only a learning experience for the stu-dents who come here from different countries, but for the students and teachers that go here as well. It’s an opportunity to learn about each oth-er’s culture and one of the reasons that makes this country so great.

Leanne Haas, Co-editor-in-chief

cougar claw staffAdviser: Jerry Fordyce

Co-editors-in cheif: Rain Shanks, Leanne Haas

Photo Editor: Evan BradleySports Editor: PJ MeyerAds Editor: Eric Elliot

For a complete list of the Cougar Claw staff, check out our online edition at

THSCougarClaw.com

Letters to the Editor Pol-icy: The Cougar Claw pub-lishes letters to the editor in both print and online

editions. These can come from students, parents,fac-ulty/staff and others with

an intrest in school. Letters will be editied for grammar and length, but the author’s intent and point of veiw wil never be compromised. All

letters must be signed.

Questions, comments or concerns, contact adviser

Jerry Fordyce at:jerryfordyce@tomballisd.

netphone: (281) 357-3320

fax: (281) 357-3248

Tomball High School30330 Quinn Rd.

Tomball, TX 77375

10•16

Do any of you remember how you first found out what a cig-

arette was? How about the first time you saw someone drinking a beer? You could’ve been exposed to these things through relatives or family members or even the media.

One contributor to such knowl-edge for small children, believe it or not, is children’s cartoons. Such things can be found in cartoons such as Regular Show, Spongebob, Pinocchio, and, the most obvious, Alice In Wonderland.

Admittedly, there wouldn’t be much to that story without any substance abuse and excessive drinking- but Disney makes it look way too appealing for having such a young audience.

It’s like watching a three hour long advertisement for LSD. For ex-ample, shrinking and growing in size is sometimes a side effect to using LSD, and let’s face it; what child isn’t eager to get taller?

It’s a pretty good marketing tech-nique- very creative. But when held up to the light, it’s actually a pretty dark concept, because the more it’s looked at, the more it looks like propaganda.

But society probably wouldn’t realize it because they’re too busy focusing on all the “pretty colors”, because propaganda appeals to emotion, rather than reason.

And it’s a scary thing for someone realizing that they’re just another

statistic and the reason they do drugs is because they were receiv-ing these weird subliminal messages in the form of cartoons. Then they grow up and spend their money on cigarettes, and a percentage of that goes to the government. Isn’t it a coincidence that the government benefits from self harm?

According to a study at Dart-ford University, viewing smoking in movies may influence the decision to smoke in more than a third of children. Kids are being exposed to it as a form of entertainment and depending on their age, they might not even realize they’re beginning to idolise it.

The “Pink Elephants” song from Dumbo is a favorite amongst chil-dren, although its name has a double meaning. “Seeing pink ele-phants” is actually a euphemism for having a drunken hallucination.

What a coincidence that the the little baby elephant was drunk throughout this whole segment and yet parents and children alike find it “cute”. Maybe it will encour-age children to look forward to a different type of pastime because seeing shape shifting pink elephants singing and dancing doesn’t seem wrong at all.

According to Dr. Linda Titus-Ern-stoff, most of children’s introduc-tion to drugs comes from youth-rat-ed movies, so that doesn’t even include rated-R movies that chil-dren just so happen to see.

According to a study in Liver-pool at John Moores University, the majority of children in a 250 person study are starting to smoke by the age of 12. It certainly isn’t a mys-tery as to why, when we let them watch characters such as Pinocchio smoking because he’s trying to be like a “real boy”.

It is the responsibility of the prior generations, whether they be parents or even older siblings who know better, to overlook and guide a child in the right direction. How would you like to know that you personally had a hand in influencing a small child to believe that they should look forward to acid trips for the rest of their lives?

Now, this does not mean that children should be shielded from the world, because they are going to find out about this stuff sooner or later. But this subject should not be presented to small children in such an entertaining way.

They should be learning that drugs and alcohol are dangerous to their health, not that they can have wild hallucinations as a form of spending time with their friends as they do in Regular Show. They should have someone to tell them about the negative aspects of drugs, not just watching people on tv having fun with it.

Terry LozanoContributing Writer

This meant something way different when you were little.

Propaganda in children’s cartoons

( )

opinion

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Alexis Aguilar Staff Writer

“Someone could walk into this room and say your life is on

fire, its all over the evening news, all about the fire in your life on the eve-ning news,” written and sung much more elegantly by Paul Simon and most likely pertaining to relationships or love. Al-though high school students can relate in a different way, this is what getting ready for college is like.

The concept of college becomes abrupt in high school, and often much more public than desired - between parents, teachers and other students, this life to-wards college isn’t personal anymore.

Contrary to fire, my tears are wet - frustrated by the daily struggle between fullfilling my intellectual needs and what needs to be on my college application.

I’m aware that I’m not just sculpting myself to get into college, I’m sculpting myself for the future, creating the core dilemma of my high school career: What if I’m not prepared for college even after I take AP classes?

Somehow, high school students have been trained to believe that completing these classes is the epitome of success and the only component that will make a well-rounded young adult; this being just as or more important than the actual course itself.

I do not mean to convey the idea that AP classes need to be banished, because they have become essential for students who want to challenge themselves fur-ther than regular high school classes.

But it wasn’t always this way. In the 1990’s, only 5 percent of students en-rolled in AP classes, and in the past de-cade that amount nearly tripled to 3.1 million in 2010. This is why I take AP classes - after sensing the initial heat of college, I realized I would have to dif-ferentiate myself from those who aren’t college bound.

I started to realize in regular on-level classes that myself and other students around me were “Doing School.” This doesn’t make me feel smart, even though pursuing it may make me appear that way, and only the part where I “hone” good grades makes me feel college-ready.

How do students avoid this system and find a way to initiate that spark? My first reaction was to take enough time to take AP classes but leave enough time to take a look around me. This way I could still be challenged and can pursue other interests.

Almost the same practice was demon-strated in a study where a teacher for a long period of time examined the thoughts and difficulties of a few students coping with this problem. One student resolved to join a program in her school called “The Community Project.”

The curriculum was co-created be-tween the students and the teacher. The students chose themes they wished to study such as student presentations, readings and debates that would be done each month. Students worked together and took initiative to lead the lessons and in this class students focused on more

in-depth conversations, worldly problems and comprehending topics on a different level.

For example, students read and dis-cussed the book they were reading, debated censorship, held a community meeting to talk about fundraising for the Middle East and learned how to cook a Mexican meal - all in one week.

This took place all while working in groups and learning how to present things- essential skills for college

Schools should provide programs like “The Community Project” to develop analytical skills and worldly knowledge. A student should know how to support a point of view more convincingly, catch potential flaws in arguments, be able to make connections between different sub-jects, and have thought provoking con-versations and use proper social skills on a daily basis; because students who know the importance of this understand the benefits for themselves and the college they’re applying to.

A study showed the lack of student par-ticipation provided by The U.S. Depart-ment of Education.

The percentage of seniors who read on their own “almost every day” dropped from 31 percent in 1984 to 22 percent in 2004, and only 50 percent of students stay after school to talk to a teacher.

Sometimes being more intellectually involved, and and even socially prepared isn’t as prominent on a college applica-tion as an AP class, but it’s just as cru-cial.

College: a manageable fire

a familiarstranger

By Leanne Haas

prayer cards created by Justin Ulmer, at Sevenapples

Swanson twin’s church, Woodsedge Community Church Bailey’s photography

Bailey Swanson doesn’t know him - not really, anyways. She wishes she did. So does her twin sister, Tyler. Once upon a time, they had a vague

idea of what he looked like - a picture shown to them when they were six.

What they do know, however, is his name; the one that signs every check, which eventually makes its way into their mailbox every month. But he must be a man of some sort of moral, at least. He never misses payments. Ever.

But not much is said or exchanged. Never a “hello” or “wish you well.” Nothing. Just a silent check - the one that much isn’t said about, except for the “it’s here” when it arrives in the mail.

But that didn’t stop the desperate Google searches that became a recurring practice. Just a name and a search engine and a check once a month and a fuzzy memory of a picture of a man Bailey and Tyler wish they knew.

Those are the only clues they’ve had for 16 years.It’s late July, one month before school starts again. Bailey and Tyler

are packing for their trip to A&M for a student publications camp. They pack the cameras that are continu-ously used throughout the year for Yearbook, along with their clothes and blankets.

It’s photography that they love- next to God and their church com-munity that they treat as family. They are their family, really.

And it’s been that way since they were 11 years old, when life seemed tougher than it orught to be. But they found refuge in the warm smiles, and the friendly pastor who greeted them with open arms.

Seven years later, WoodsEdge church is still Bailey and Tyler’s place of refuge. It’s also where they found, for the first time in their lives, a true father figure. Justin Ulmer, the friendly pastor with the warm smile and bright blue-green eyes.

He’s the artsy guy, the guy who loves photography. He’s the one who really inspired Bailey and Tyler to pursue it. Justin showed them the beauty that could be found through the lens of a camera.

But they took to him because he offered more than just money in an envelope. He’s a role model, the kind of compassionate guy that could give them encouragement and guidance in their life.

It was Justin who was there for Tyler the day she nervously anticipated her driver’s test. “Just be your smart, capable self,” he sent her in a text “You’ll do great.”

And Bailey already knows he’s the man that she wants to walk her down the aisle, like a father giving away his child, when she gets married one day.

Justin was one of the first to be texted the day after Bailey and Tyler found each other staring into a stranger’s eyes through a computer screen the night they were staying in an A&M dorm.

Maybe it’s all in my head. As twins, they had enough intuition to know that they were both thinking the same thing.

But there’s something about that man. Something in his eyes, his char-ismatic smile, that they see themselves in him. How odd it must feel, to see such a person for the first time in your life-to see yourself in a strang-er’s image.

He looks happy. That’s the first word that comes to mind, upon study-

ing his profile picture. He’s on the chubby side - like a dark-haired Santa Claus. Holding a big mug, his jolly cheeks glow beyond his short, dark brown scruffy beard.

His albums are filled with good-time pictures of his kids. His kids. They look happy, too.

“Is that him?” friends question, their bodies huddled around the laptop screen perched atop a pillow on a mattress placed on the floor.

Bailey and Tyler decide to call their mom. She would know if it was him or not. But it seemed that it had taken forever before they could have closure, as the phone signal was dropped again and again, and nervous texts were abound.

For their mom, the news was only a bit surprising. She knew her daugh-ters had the information they needed to find him. Still, there lay a pit of worry dug inside her mind.

How would he treat her girls, after he gave not so much as a glance their way for 16 years? Does he even want to see them? She was afraid for them. They are too special.

But she knew she had raised her girls as strong, independent women. No matter the outcome, she had the confidence that they already had all they needed in their life. She made sure of it.

It was 12 a.m.; a hybrid of giggles and screams filtered through the small room and echoed through the dorm hallways at Texas A&M. July 23rd was the day Bailey and Tyler found their biological father on Facebook.

After 20 minutes of intense jitters and continuance of giggles shared between friends and themselves, the group of friends had calmed down long

enough that the room began to grow quieter. Bailey and Tyler still had a decision to make.

It was Bailey who decided to message him using her account, after talking it over with her sister - and of course, her mom. This would be the first time at attempting to contact their father. She begins to type:

“Hi, my name is Bailey, and I’m assuming you know who I am…”

Months went by. It felt so strange for the twins to know that their father lived so close all their lives. It’s easy to forget how big Texas really is. Tyler couldn’t help but notice the occasional man in the superstore. That could be him - the beard, the eyes. Ever since seeing that picture, she couldn’t help but wonder. There were many who looked just the same. But for all she knew, she could have passed him by on the street without as much as a glance at each other.

From this experience, Bailey and Tyler didn’t gain a relationship with the father they wish they knew. In fact, he never responded. He chose to block them on Facebook, as he had chosen to block them out of his life. But something was gained, something that has become a stepping stone in their life: Patience.

And Justin was one of the first to remind them of this important virtue; that sometimes people do not come into one’s life because it is not the right time. Bailey and Tyler cannot tell the future. They don’t know if they will ever meet their biological father. But along with patience, they have learned that they already have a family, the one that has been with them all along.

“ How odd it must feel, to see such a person

for the first time in your life - to see yourself in a

stranger’s image.”

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AMMU(NATION)Ammo. Gunpowder. Fuel. Did a

picture of a deer pop into your mind? Most kids in Tomball would fall under this category. But, for some, these words are associated with death.

In Tomball, guns have become a part of the routine- a status symbol, even. This is a big part of the culture of the town. Just last year, at the start of hunting season, Prin-cipal Greg Quinn found it necessary to remind students that rifles cannot be brought on campus, even if they are tucked away in someone’s truck bed.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which

you can use to change the world.”

Mandela

LOADED

Leanne Haas & Rain Shanksco-editors in chief

feature

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The ease of access to weaponry has become an increasingly debated issue in society in general, however. And the issue at hand is not how many deer are dying; it’s how many chil-dren.

It’s about how easy it is to grab a gun from their parents’ closet; how enticing it is to hold one in their hands, just because they can.

It’s about as easy to buy a gun as it is to buy cigarettes. If a teen is 18 years old (as many seniors are), they can buy a pack at Walmart - and a firearm.

Walking into the superstore, a con-sumer is already flooded with smiley faces, with a whole section in the store dedicated to a plethora of children’s toys. Squirt guns. Dart guns. Take two steps to the left. There’s a section dedicated to real guns.

It’s rows and rows of weapon-ry. And while rifles are used in the hunting of animals, there, in the same store, are the handguns, for use against humans.

And it’s not just 18-year-olds get-ting their hands on guns. According to the Washington Post, 39 percent of kids knew the location of their par-ents’ firearms, while 22 percent said they had handled the weapons.

Earlier this year, a 13-year-old boy from Arkansas accidentally shot his friend while the two were playing with a relative’s gun. But the 14-year-old victim was only one example. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, more than 100,000 US children have been killed by firearms in the 30 years that gun injury data has been collected.

But just as guns don’t kill people, people kill people, gun laws aren’t going to change; society has to. The children who are playing with Su-per Soakers and BB guns should be educated before they’re old enough to graduate to ammo not made from water or plastic.

Schools already have a red ribbon week dedicated to the awareness of drug use. There is no week dedicated to gun safety.

The use of weapons has become just as a big part of students’ lives as the awareness of drugs. If gun safety was treated just as importantly as liv-ing above the influence is in schools, the number of tragic deaths could decrease greatly.

Education in schools is just one part, though. Right now, only 12 hours of training is needed for an adult to get their hands on a con-cealed handgun license. No training at all is required just to purchase a gun.

There is no required training on keeping guns out of the reach of children. There is no requirement for trigger locks. Nothing to help keep children safe.

As deer hunting season approach-es, the only measure of safety to keep fatal accidents from happening is the effort you take to prevent them.

63%

47%

69%

percent of murders in Texas thatinvolve firearms

percent of the 20,000 kids who suffer gun injuries every year that live in the South

percent of family households that have guns

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punches

feature

CC: How did you get into roller derby?GF: A college classmate skated for the Texas Rollergirls in Austin. One day she gave me a flyer, so I came and checked it out. I was a fan for several years (and a few moves) and finally decided to try out Houston Roller Derby’s recreation-al league program back in August 2009 when I found out that they had skates and gear you could borrow for the first

few practices. I was hooked.CC: Do you have any roller derby he-ros?GF: In Austin I was amazed by Catastro-phe’s graceful skating style and Rice Rocket’s speed. In Houston I was im-pressed by Rebel Ann’s agile blocking style and DBC’s ability to rack up the points. After I joined HRD Beverly Kills and Becky Booty really took me under their wing and helped me improve by leaps and bounds.CC: Are you known for something?GF: I hold the current HRD record for the highest number of points scored in one jam: 34.CC: Has roller derby made you a bet-ter person?GF: Roller derby has given me a few val-ues. Perseverance, because I had never skated before joining and getting better

was slow going for me. I learned to never stop trying no matter how hard it gets. It has also made me more confident and outspoken, which has carried over into the rest of my life.CC: What are some charteristics of your team that arn’t like the others?GF: The Bayou City Bosses, my team, are a really quirky bunch. We’re a very tight-knit, goofy team and it seems like we’re always in good humor.CC: What makes you keep coming back?GF: The thrill of playing really well and wanting to feel like that again and again. Sometimes I get frustrated if we lose or if I don’t do well in a game, but the times that I play great make it completely addicting. Making lead jammer, scoring points and feeling proud of yourself is a really great feeling.CC: What do you suggest for women looking into this sport?GF: I highly suggest you forget about being nervous and just try our recreation-al league out. I guarantee it will be a lot more fun and a lot less scary than you imagine. Aside from that, just get some practice in at a local roller rink or in your neighborhood, and watch as many bouts as you can to get insight on how the sport is played at a higher level.CC: What was your most memorable/in-spiring moment?GF: The Bosses had a game last season that we were missing about five of our star players, and the rest of us were very nervous about how it would turn out. Even though we were mostly rookies and second-level skaters at the time, we fought hard and won a VERY close game that night. It felt really good to know that we were able to do it on our own, without having to rely on our super-tal-ented members.CC: Whats the most craziest moment?GF: Last season we played a banked track team, who play under a different set of rules than we do. We were prepped ahead of time to expect surprising tech-niques from them due to the different rulesets, but we were still pretty amazed

Grrrl Friday

The Black eyeliner corresponds with her tight black laces, which promptly concurs with her thick curls that lay beneath the star studded helmet. The jammer knows

her place, knows her importance; and with a steady hand applies her red lip stick and then her mouth guard to accompany it. Grrl Friday is the star jammer for her team in the Championships, the Bayou City Bosses.

The jammer holds a significant place for a roller derby team. She is the one to squeeze and bust her way through the other team’s members to make laps that are counted as points. The most glorious moment for a jammer is when she makes a “grand slam,” which is when the jammer manages to lap everyone, including the other team’s jammer. She is the strategist for the team; And in her own words, she “calls the shots and makes the shots”.

Evidently, Grrl Friday was the final jammer of the evening and made the wining point. Meaning the jammer is allowed to call off the play if desired. There is also the Pivot, who will signal to others while skating to speed up or where to position themselves. The Blockers are also a vital position, they block the other team’s member by herding in a group and roughing them up.

Roller Derby is a robust, unconventional sport for women but any body is eligible to fall in love with the action and the beauty. Houston is actually a very large market for the sport, and is home to four teams: Bayou City Bosses, Brawlers, Psych Ward Sirens, and Valkyries. The Cougar Claw sat down with Grrl Friday from the Bayou City Bosses just before her team played in the Championship which took place on Sept. 18. The Bosses won.

roll with the Alexis Aguilar Staff Writer

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at how it went. That game was likely the most bizarre I’ve ever played. One girl kept turning around and sort of ramming into me, like a chest bump, but with her shoulder to my chest. That kind of move is almost impossible to do legally under our ruleset. I didn’t know what to do but shoulder her right back! I imagine we must have looked like two bucks fighting. She eventually got ejected from the game for racking up too many penalties.CC: What do you do outside of this?GF: I love going to live shows at Fitzgeralds and Walters on Washington and I’m a huge fine arts buff. I go see a lot of theater and ballet perfor-mances.CC: What kind of music do you listen to?GF: Pretty mixed. Lately it’s been Die Antwoord, Cat Power, Edith Piaf, Handsome Furs and Valient Thorr.CC: Was that a silly question?GF: I love talking about music; not at all.CC: What does your family and friends think?GF: My family was surprised that I was involved in a sport at all, much less a full contact sport. My step-mom used to hang out at roller rinks as a kid so she was pretty excited. My dad was impressed that I finally found a sport that I’m decent at. My friends were excited about it and I love hearing them cheer for me at games.CC: What stereotypes really bother you, if any?GF: The myths are that roller derby games are “fake” in that the results are fixed, which isn’t true. People sometimes think it’s all about el-bowing and fighting, which is untrue (both of those are major penalties and I’ve literally never seen fighting on the track). I think a lot of people who haven’t been exposed to the sport just think that it’s more theatrical and less sport-like, but they usually get wise as soon as they come watch a game.CC: How would you explain roller derby to a person who has no idea what it is?GF: Roller derby is a full-contact sport played on quad rollerskates on an oval track. Points are scored when a team’s jammer passes opposing teammates.CC: How hard do you have to train for this, what did you do to get on the team?GF: I didn’t even know how to skate before I started, so the rec league program helped me a ton. Aside from that I tried to practice as much as possible, and show that I could improve and take direction. Getting to know the skaters on

the gearhelmet

gear

tights

wheels

the teams and chat with the team captains helps a little too because they’ll get a feel for your personality and attitude towards roller derby.

Currently, if anybody is interested, the Houston Roller Derby’s Recre-ational League is available, which is an athletic and social organization formed to give all women the opportunity to learn and play flat track roller derby. Rec League is a place for women to play roller derby without having to make the commitments required to be a home team skater.

Additionally, the first bout of the new season is March 17. Houston Roller Derby All stars are up against Assassination City’s Special Ops. The Psych Wards are also against The Bayou City Bosses.

Not only does it protect the head, but it displays a girl’s derby name and sponsors. Plus, it keeps the gorgeous locks underneath in place.

The point of the game being to knock other players over while whizzing around on a hard floor, knee pads and elbow pads protect the skater from inevita-ble bumps and bruises.

You know what? These just look hardcore.

Specific durability and hardness of the wheels can affect the speed level, shock absorption and grip depending on the rink.

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Get in line. Apple has revealed the thin-nest, lightest iPhone ever. AT&T and Ver-

izon employees have been requesting days off to avoid the bombarding of stores.

“iPhone 5 is the most beautiful consumer device that we’ve ever created,” said Phil-ip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, in an article featured on yahoo.com.

The new phone has more to offer, but less at the same time. It is 20% lighter, 18% thin-ner and has 12% less volume with entirely new technology. It has double the processor speed and runs on the significantly faster 4G network.

With to the iPhone’s arrival, many fea-

ture rumors have been confirmed. These in-clude a new earphone design, 4-inch Retina display, and “ultra fast” wireless.

iPhone 5 is nearly 9 millimeters taller than iPhone 4S, but it’s the same width. So it’s just as easy to type with one hand. The Gorilla Glass back of the last iPhone has been replaced with metal, and a new Pan-orama mode on the camera.

Previous products are now useless to the iPhone 5, because there is a new charger adapter - a much smaller one. This means that products like the iHome and the good ol’ fashioned connectors are now obsolete.

This is because of the new dock connector “Lightning”, which is 80% smaller than the

old one, and is the only connector compat-ible with the new phone. The good news is that Apple is creating an adapter to all of the past products which means that there is still life in your old accessories.

The day pre-ordering was offered for the iPhone 5, more than twice the number of sales were made than the 4S version. Ap-ple sold over 5 million iPhone 5s in the first three days, but shares sagged as the compa-ny struggled to meet demand.

The new iPhone 5 16 gigabyte model is currently available for $199 with a two-year contract. Apple is also expected to offer the iPhone 4S for $99 and iPhone 4 for free with a two-year contract.

CONCERTS & EVENTS Madonna Jason Aldean w/ Luke BryanThe Script A$AP Rocky All Time Low Asher Roth Snow Patrol & Noel Gallagher Paul McCartney Brantley Gilbert Wiz Khalifa Metalocalypse

10-24 Wed.10-26 Fri.10-30 Tue.11-4 Sun11-6 Tue.11-7 Wed.11-9 Fri.11-14 Wed.11-17 Sat.11-23 Fri.12-2 Sun.

Toyota CenterWoodlands Pavilion Bayou Music CenterBayou Music CenterHouse of BluesHouse of BluesBayou Music CenterMinute Maid ParkFord ParkReliant ArenaHouse of Blues

faster. lighter. larger displayThe Next Generation iPhone is here

By Deja Ballard‘And the headphone jack is on the bottom’

arts & entertainment

the perks of being a wallflower

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Whether you are one of those kids who keeps up on every teen tidbit, book,

and/or series that is currently being ob-sessed over, or the kid who is too cool to read popular teen books, the novel Perks of Being a Wallflower will settle with your soul in some way or another.

The movie came out on Sept. 28 and was also directed by the author himself, Stephan Chbosky. Like many others, the book was better than the movie, most likely because the book had such a wide variety of details that couldn’t be expressed in the time given for a film.

Charlie was played by Logan Lerman who also starred in Percy Jackson and the Olym-pians in 2010. He perfected Charlie’s man-nerisms like those pertaining to his social anxiety and his naive nature. Emma Watson played Sam who was just as “unconvention-ally” beautiful, as Charlie described in his letters.

Although she seemed more fixated on Charlie than in the book, for the most part she was the same character - confused, malleable to love, strong and eccentrically wild.

Ezra Miller quickly turns into a viewer’s favorite. His facial features and expressions were necessary to express Patrick’s quirky humor, spontaneous body movement and overall happiness. Although when there was a serious moment, these same facial expres-sions worked to his advantage as well.

The novel as a whole is as alluring as the main character himself - incidentally re-

latable, and on the brink of adolescence - Charlie is remarkable. He begins the story as a typical misfit- quiet and reserved with no friends to go to. He progresses into something more complicated; early on it is revealed that he dealt with suicide, and later a traumatic family experience.

These incidences may be the core of his psychiatric problems, yet Charlie remains full of love- whether he is trying to under-stand it, give it, or receive it, there is a presence of love, ultimately making him more lovable by not only the characters in the story, but by the reader.

The novel is structured as a series of letters to an anonymous person labeled “friend” who Charlie is somewhat aware of but doesn’t really know. This reinforces the structure of Charlie’s brain - his over-ana-lyzing yet ambiguous mind that the reader becomes addicted to.

Aware of the awkwardness he can por-tray, Charlie, more than anything, desires friends. Incidentally he meets two others who are masked by unconventionality and claim an aura of overall “cool.” Sam and Patrick are prominent to Charlie and help him through his freshman year, seeing as they are seniors.

Among other influential relationships is the unexpected one between him and his English teacher. Charlie starts to gain a sense of pride for the extra book reports the teacher has him do, all in essence to reveal the rarity and intellect Charlie has but isn’t aware of.

The book is an overall process of self-re-alization and overcoming the traumatic experiences he faced as a child with new friends who make him analyze it more than ever. It is a coming-of-age story that is, in a way, relatable to everyone.

What was disappointing about the movie, though, is that the relationship between Charlie and his sister was mildly expressed and in contrary, his brother took more of a pretense. In fact there was barely any detail about his feelings toward his family, which made the end a little less compre-hensible. The relationship between him and his English teacher wasn’t all that apparent either.

Although what the least satisfying part was the last confrontation that Charlie has with Sam, it was altered a little bit, not a big significance, but the message Sam was trying to give to Charlie was a little mud-dled.

As lovely as the movie was, there is no way it could have been better than the book, because the movie seems to have been produced solely for fans of the book rather than newcomers to the story.

Overall though, watching Charlie’s sto-ry in The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a moving experience. Viewers will be able to relate to that moment when they feel young - better yet, infinite.

book & movie comparison By Alexis Aguilar

By Deja Ballard

After a rough start opening the season, the Cougars re-

mained focused and are head-ing back to the playoffs.

With two games to play, the Cougars are assured a playoff spot.

Tomball’s comeback is the result of hard work and focus from each and every player.

“I go hard every play,” said senior running back Xavier Pow-ell, who is among the top five in the Houston area in rushing yards and touchdowns.

But winning games isn’t the only focus for the Cougars.

“Our goal is to be District Champs,” said senior corner Jo-seph Childers.

It will take focus if the Cou-

gars are to pull off another deep playoff run like they did two years ago.

“We need to play as a team,” Powell said, “and do the little things right.”

It was an adjustment facing new teams after the move to District 22-4A.

“It’s a new district but I think we’ll do really well (in the fi-nal two games),” said senior re-ceiver Mason Dillard.

This season also sees the start of a new rivalry, with the first game against Tomball Memorial on Nov. 9. The game is also the Patriotic Show and will likely see the largest crowd ever at Tomball Stadium.

“We won’t lose,” promised

senior receiver Kyle Manuel. While Powell has powered the

running game, the team knows that other techniques are key to advancing in the playoffs.

“Our passing game will be a main contributor,” said Manu-el, while Dillard noted special teams play is “a big strength.”

Along with team goals, the players have individual goals that are also in reach.

“I want to play in college,” Powell said, “and possibly in the NFL.”

No matter what his plans may be, Powell keeps one thing in mind, one thing that keeps him motivated:

“Play every down like it’s your last.”

SPIK

EIT

BACK IN THE GAME

The Lady Cougars are entering the playoffs as

District 22-4A champions.“We have been working

very hard and I am bless-ed to call these girls my teammates,” said middle hitter Hope Forsythe.

Practice makes perfect, and the Lady Coogs were nearly perfect this year in running up a 12-1 season.

“We’ve been working hard and staying focused in practice,” said senior outside hitter P.J. Meyer. “As long as we continue to give 110 percent, we will be successful.”

The players used Coach Wallace’s advice to get them through the season.

“If we work on the little

things, we will continue seeing good results,” said junior right side hitter Allie Harman.

The journey was not easy. They had to adapt to a new district and adopt new strategies.

“We have been working hard on being quick, since we aren’t as big as the other teams,” said middle hitter Mason Lanch.

But no matter what, this team sticks together.

“This year’s team is so much like a family on and off the court, so it pushes us to work harder for each other,” Lanch said.

The team has set new goals coming into the sea-son, and stuck by them the

whole way through. “Our goal is to break the

curse to make it past the first round of playoffs this year,” said senior outside hitter Kaili Birkner.

The Lady Cougars have already beaten the tough-est teams in the district: Ridge Point, Stratford and Tomball Memorial.

Starting Monday, they’ll face unfamiliar opponents as they begin playoffs in Class 4A for the first time.

Every year, the Lady Cougars set a goal of “be-ing first in District,” Brit-tney Smith said.

“I am so proud of every-one for striving for no less than excellence and mak-ing that goal a reality.”

Lady Cougars are District ChampsSp

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