For centuries, French was the language of lovers and kings, epicures and thinkers. Once the international language of diplomacy, considered a hallmark of sophistication and class, interest in French is now waning in a world increasingly dominated by English.
Put cans in the yellow bin. Paper in the blue bin. Garbage goes in the gray. While these directives may seem simple, Blair's recycling program is failing. But with these five steps suggested by our own building services, the prospect of a working recycling program can become a realized eco-goal and an indication of school pride.
Junior Lisa Francois is X-rated, or so say the words stamped across her T-shirt. While the shirt calls to mind explicit content and visions of the illicit trifecta of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, Francois wears it because her mother bought it for her — besides, she thinks it's cute.
Countless studies have confirmed what every high school student already knows: The combination of teenagers and sex is inevitable. With all of these hormones, it's not difficult to make a mistake, like having unprotected sex — but emergency contraceptives like Plan B help ensure that these mistakes do not have life-altering consequences. For that, they need to be made available to girls younger than 18.
Most of the truly horrendous leaders start out as saviors. They're the people who promise you peace and prosperity in times of tragedy and turmoil, but ultimately succumb to corruption and too much power. In "The Last King of Scotland," the leader in question is Idi Amin, president of Uganda, played with jarring power by Forest Whittaker. And while the film, based on a true story, has a tremendously talented cast and good intentions, these are not enough to save it from a lack of focus.
"Diverse" is the first word most people use to describe Blair. This is to be expected in a school of over 3,000 students representing over 40 countries. Unfortunately, this veritable melting pot of culture does not extend far past the surface — While Blair's foreign language program fulfills county requirements, it does not impart any valuable cultural education.
The dusky pink and orange sunset over the Chesapeake Bay is lauded by visitors as a postcard-ready scene. And yet these visitors would be saddened to find that one of America's most precious natural wonders has been dealt multiple blows by Eastern Shore urbanization, careless Bay-area residents and, most recently, a lack of confluence between local governments in saving the Bay from ecological ruin.
It's a little past midnight when Humbert, a junior, sits down at his computer. His house is quiet; the majority of his AOL buddy list is away or off-line. But five minutes later, Humbert has assuaged his late night boredom not by playing a game of Spider Solitaire or blogging, but by logging on to the Internet's most notorious piracy network. Humbert, a generally quiet student, is immersed in a world of hardcore file-sharing, hacking and other activities that are classified as felonies.
Movies that chronicle the fabulous lives of transvestites are quite often the films that jump from unknown indie flicks to instant cult classics. The reasons why are not clear, but when looking at films such as "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," it's evident that there is a kind of fixation among movie audiences with these gender bending themes.
The crowd claps along to the thumping beat of the bodhran, a traditional Celtic drum, immersed in the ancient music of far off lands that emanates from the performers on stage at last summer's Washington Folk Festival. As their voices raise in a harmonic Gaelic chorus, it's clear that they are not a typical high school garage band.
Eleven recently developed committees intended to improve school policies have yet to gain student participants due to a lack of publicity, according to group leaders.
The Corpse Bride
It takes a special type of American to truly appreciate foreign films. Scores of foreign films are released in limited theaters across the United States each year, but only a few manage to burrow their ways into the hearts of Americans. Who can really say why some movies just can't break into the wonderland of wide release? Well, it's easy to tell with "Tropical Malady," a Thai film filled with interesting cinematography, a confusing plot and complex existential situations.