If the eighth place finish seems uncharacteristically low for the team, it’s because, well, it is. Coach Brian Gauvin explains: “As is our tradition, Harriton competed in this tournament with only 9th and 10th graders against the full varsity squads of other schools. To the best of my knowledge, no other schools do this.” The fact that the team’s underclassmen held their own against the likes of defending national champions Solon High School is impressive, and should be a sign of higher finishes to come.

The full varsity team will make their first appearance of the season in “the belly of the beast” itself, early February at Solon High School.

Here is the full list of Harriton medalists at Athens:

Gold
Gravity Vehicle: Sam Davis, Mirriam Lee

Silver
Helicopters: Mirriam Lee, Eleanor Mayes
Microbe Mission: Jamie Song, Eleanor Mayes

Bronze
Disease Detectives: Jamie Song, Matt Zhao
Forensics: Gideon Haber, Ian Guinnane

4th Place
Tower Building: Matt Zhao, Bridget Wilby

5th Place
Astronomy: Sam Davis, Elizabeth Morgan

6th Place
Optics: Shawnee Zheng, Rafael Haber
Experimental Design: Mirriam Lee, Rafael Haber, Eleanor Mayes

So proclaim Harriton’s famous ‘sheets’ that are freely available in our weight room. A third of the way through my junior year at Harriton, I am all-too-familiar with these all-powerful pieces of paper, these edicts of exercise that give every athlete at Harriton a set routine of workouts. These exercises will make the athlete bigger, faster, stronger.

Freshman year, I worked out with the basketball team during preseason, hoping to make the team, and was exposed for the first time to regimented exercise; purposeful movements and activities that were designed just so, optimizing physical prowess.

The following year, I ran cross-country, and though the focus was much less on weight lifting, track workouts still carried the same intensity—the workout was tailored by professionals so that you could achieve maximum potential.

Two years later, I have begun to question these methods and routines, as I have become more aware of the ever-changing nature of sports philosophy.

This gave rise to the question: How far can I push myself? I want to get the best results, and the changing consensus on workouts and number of sets and order of routine clearly shows that what experts believe might not be 100% correct; if the sheet says I should bench 100 lbs., couldn’t I be able to do 105 lbs.? If I’m told to do a 200 workout in 35 seconds, couldn’t I do it in 34 seconds?

When I first thought about how far athletes can push themselves, I thought about the physical limitations that accompany the unfortunate condition of being human. No matter how dedicated or gifted an athlete is, he or she will never be able to run a marathon in 20 minutes. No man or woman will ever be able to bicep curl a bajillion lb. dumbbell; it’s physically not possible.

There are dramatic instances of pushing limits, of physical feats that are close to humanely impossible. Take the exmple of Stafon Johnson, the USC running back who dropped a bar on his throat while bench pressing, or the two runners in the recent Philadelphia Marathon who collapsed and died, one at the finish line, the other a quarter of a mile before the finish of the race. Think of some rowers at our own Harriton High who literally row until they were blue in the face.

When athletes push themselves to the limits of their bodies, several things can happen. They can hobble off to the water fountain, thrilled at having participated in such vigorous exercise and anticipating a good night’s sleep. Or they could die.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) during exercise is not unheard of; it happens throughout the world, from the casual adult hoping to slim down at the gym to the elite marathon runner Ryan Shay, who passed away while trying out for the Olympics.

Ryan Shay, in particular, presents an interesting case. Aren’t elite athletes supposed to be invincible? Don’t distance runners, especially good ones, have ridiculously efficient hearts? While it is true that exercise results in longer lifespan and lowered the risk of obesity, there are some aspects of health that exercise cannot influence.

Young athletes, no matter how athletic, no matter their resting heart rate (affected by exercise and a great way to tell how ‘in shape’ a person is), may be born with one of two common preexisting heart conditions that can endanger them: the first is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and the second is long Q-T syndrome.

HCM is a genetic disorder that results in a thickening of the heart muscle, often asymmetrically. Wait, bigger muscles are good, right? Wrong. Thickening of cardiac muscle actually obstructs blood flow.

Though sedentary individuals might not feel HCM, an athlete who consistently needs high blood output increases the risk of pushing his or her heart over the edge.

The heart could reach a point where it is unable to supply the body and itself with the oxygen and other nutrients found in blood, and could attempt to remediate this by simply increasing its beats per minute. This would, in theory, increase blood flow, but can actually be counterproductive.

The heart eventually enters tachycardia, a condition which is characterized by such rapid beating of the heart that it is not able to refill in between beats; the heart may be beating a lot faster than before, yet the output is actually less, as it is unable to send the same volume of blood to the body per beat. This often results in loss of consciousness and more often than not, death.

Long Q-T syndrome is a bit more complicated than HCM. In order to understand it, we must first define some aspects of the heart and how it is monitored.

Essentially, the heart beats because of electrical signals being conducted throughout the cardiac tissue. It has a certain rhythm to it, a pace that is set by areas of your brain that even you cannot control.

After a beat, the heart needs to repolarize, or, in simple terms, ‘get ready’ for the next electrical impulse (it does this by recreating the gradient of ions outside and inside the membrane of the cell. Welcome back to Biology, everyone). The heart cannot contract without complete repolarization. The period of time that the heart takes to repolarize is called the QT period; a long QT period means that the heart cells of a person take longer than normal to repolarize and prepare itself to send blood throughout the body once again.

As you can imagine, this could be lethal during exercise, the time when your body needs oxygenated blood most and in the biggest quantities. In fact, long QT syndrome’s most deadly manifestation is through arrhythmias.

As mentioned earlier, the heart has a pace, a cadence set by electrical signals received from the brain. The brain sending electrical signals faster than the heart’s ability to process them (repolarize) can trigger tachycardia, causing the heart to undergo the same phenomenon caused by HCM.

Both of the above conditions are most prevalent in young athletes under 35. Young athletes at Harriton have to turn in a completed physical form in which their physician asserts that the student is in good enough health to partake in a sport.

Fortunately, part of the examination that takes place while filling out a physical form includes routine heart tests, including the measurement of blood pressure and auscultation (vocab word! It means to listen to the heart with a stethoscope).

Unfortunately, none of these tests can detect HCM or long QT syndrome. Yes, these disorders can be detected using a cardiogram, but when was the last time your doctor stuck a bunch of electrodes on your chest and hooked you up to the iconic ‘heart monitor,’ House M.D., style?
Though our physical forms do a good job of making sure athletes don’t have any obvious conditions that would endanger them, they do not adequately address SCD.

Exercise is fun. It’s invigorating, and choosing to integrate it into your lifestyle is possibly one of the best decisions you will make in your life. But don’t go overboard. Know your limits, and try to push yourself as far as you can go in a healthy way.

The burning feeling you get in your muscles is healthy. Don’t stop for slight discomfort. But if you start feeling light-headed, or you feel weird in your chest, stop. Sometimes these might simply mean you haven’t had enough water today; sometimes they might mean you haven’t eaten enough today; and sometimes, they might mean that you’re in danger.

Be smart. Be sensible. Be safe.

That question doesn’t seem nearly as ludicrous now as it did then. After a few years of deep runs in the District tournament, the Rams look poised to make a splash in the Central League in 2011. Fresh off a 4-0 start and backed with unprecedented support from the Herd, this could be the year that Harriton finally busts into the upper half of the league standings.

It would have been tough for even a diehard Rams fan to predict such an impressive start this season. This year’s team was fairly young and unproven entering the winter, but they returned a few key starters from last year’s squad, including junior guard Matt Sherman. Sherman has developed into a bona fide leader on this new-look team, most recently contributing 24 points in a Friday night road victory over Radnor. After emerging as champions of the Southern Lehigh tournament, the Rams now stand at 4-0 (2-0 in league play) and seem destined to improve by leaps and bounds over last season’s 12-11 (7-8) mark.

What’s different this year? It’s difficult to say. Rappaport has done a great job the fast few seasons, slowly creeping Harriton up the Central League standings ever since they joined and making deep runs in the District tournament every year. The most obvious change has to be the fan support– never before has the Herd flocked to basketball games and provided support for the team like they have been so far this season. The emergence of experienced players like senior Itay Levy, who was named MVP at Southern Lehigh, hasn’t hurt either.

True, the Rams had a similar quick start before hitting the teeth of their schedule last season, and yes, there are many, many dates with Central League powerhouses before the season is out, but it’s difficult to imagine a more encouraging start in 2011. With a game against Haverford next, a team that the Rams defeated 54-39 last year, the potential is there to open 5-0. From there on out, anything is possible– including a finish near the top of the league standings. And that’s not even taking into account the postseason District and State tournaments.

Mrs. Cooke, student council sponsor commented, “The student council committees really pulled together to organize this event in a way that would last, be exciting, and be fun. We try many new ways to get kids excited about school or events, and this certainly worked. This really all started with Bryan’s speech last year for president, and he wanted to do it. I said ‘make good on your speech.’”
The tournament created so much excitement that it had to be ended early for fear of injury. After a night of competitive fun and hysteria, Quidditch night ended abruptly and the players and fans were sent home early with no determined champion.

Harriton Quidditch took off, figuratively of course. The pool noodles they hold between their legs will not make them fly, although they wish they did. The snitch is not a flying ball, but a runner who sprints around the school fending away the seekers. The game looked like a mix between football, rugby, dodgeball, and soccer. And everyone came away wanting more.

Made famous by the world of Harry Potter, quidditch has made its way into many high schools and colleges around the world. The game consists of five types of players: Chaser, Beater, Keeper, Seeker, and the Snitch. Three Chasers handle the Quaffle (a volleyball) and try to throw it in one of three hoops to score 10 points. The Keeper defends the hoops, like a goalie. Meanwhile, two Beaters handle Bludgers (small soccer balls) and try to hit the opposite players. If they hit an opposing player, that person has to drop whatever ball they are holding and run back to their goal posts, touch one, and then can resume play. To end the game, the Seeker has to catch the Snitch. The Snitch carries a tennis ball that when caught by the Seeker, ends the game. He or she can do whatever is necessary to make sure the Seeker does not catch the ball. Once the Snitch is caught, the game is over and 30 points are awarded to the Seeker’s team.

With the rules taken into account, the main spectacle was the tryouts for the Quidditch teams. With a turnout of over 90 people, the tryouts were nothing but exciting. During each RAM period for a week, each captain ran drills testing each person’s skills: throwing, catching, defending, and running. At the end of the week, the 30 players were chosen for the 4 house teams.

Monday night, the stage was set. The gym was transformed into a Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, complete with pillars emblazoned with house crests, the goal hoops, announcers, and many spectators.
The first match of the night was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Gryffindor started off strong, leading with a 30-0 lead. But Hufflepuff gained momentum with a goal from Keeper Drew Krane, which was shortly followed by the catch of the Snitch by Dimitri Koukos, causing Hufflepuff to win the match 40-30.

The next match between Slytherin and Ravenclaw ended wtih Slytherin seeker Jacob Eidenger catching the snitch, and winning the match for Slytherin.

Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor turned out to be a game all about Gryffindor. Gryffindor Seeker Max Norris was constantly abused by the Ryan Smith the Snitch. The game started getting violent when Ravenclaw’s Jackie Milestone was thrown by Gryffindor’s Carly Scher. Ravenclaw caught the snitch, but Gryffindor ended up winning 140-40.
The next match was between Slytherin and Hufflepuff. It was a low scoring game, with a score of 40-20 after Slytherin’s Seeker once again caught the Snitch.

After a short intermission, Quidditch resumed with Hufflepuff vs. the underdog: Ravenclaw. The first ejection of the night came when Hufflepuff Chaser Michael Maj hit Ravenclaw Chaser Won Chung. The game resumed and Dimitri Koukos won it again for Hufflepuff: 60-20 final score.

The last match before the finals was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Gryffindor was up 30-10 before Slytherin Chaser Maddie Pisanai and Gryffindor Chaser Paul Lee collided, sending Maddie to the ground. A scuffle resulted between Slytherin and Gryffindor players, which prompted action from teacher supervisors. As a result, the rest of the night was cancelled due to safety concerns for the players. However overall the event was considered to be a success.

Ms. Cooke commented after the event: “The thing we always learn with a new event are things we can make better. I was excited. I thought quidditch generated a level of enthusiasm we like to see in students, both the spectators and the players. The tournament ended simply because it was such a spirited competition. Students weren’t angry or mean, just the competitive spirit took over. The responsible thing to do was to quell the heat of competition and say, “lets meet another day”. It was wise to do that before anyone was hurt. However this is not the end of quidditch at Harriton. We had a follow-up meeting with the players that was great because they came up with suggestions on how to improve and make this better. As for future games? Nothing is scheduled yet. But it’s winter, and we need outdoor fields.”

Although the games ended sooner than expected, there is agreement that the student council has hit on a great idea.

Internet accessibility problems have not plagued the majority of students in past years, but due to a more restrictive firewall and Internet policy many students are faced with network issues from home, as well as in school. Although Harriton students are still able
to take their laptops home at the end of the day, constant reminders abound as to how the laptops “aren’t theirs.” A new, far-reaching firewall prevents students from many sites they were once able to access outside of school.

Since it is still early in the school year, many students are unwilling to condemn this new policy completely. As it is, the general consensus is not one of satisfaction. While no one
is surprised that websites primarily used for recreational purposes are forbidden, many educational addresses are blocked under the Lightspeed filter, categorized under “unknown.” The heightened filter blocks all websites when it cannot access students’ laptops.

Some students find the new policy an unnecessary measure. Junior Jordan Rosenthal-Kay says, “Though the firewall can occasionally help keep me on task, it really only is a
hindrance. If there is something blocked, I can still access it from a home computer. I just don’t see the point of blocking anything. What reason do they have to do it?”

On the opposite side of the coin, others may find they agree with 11th grader Alex Friend, who has his own personal laptop. “People should rely less on the school computers. We live in an area where everyone has access to the Internet. computer to access it. It’s not that big of a deal.” While this may be true in many cases, the laptops were originally provided on the grounds that without them, not all students would be able to complete work that may have to be done with the use of the Internet.

Schoolwork aside, many seniors who have never had to deal with such stringent rules face difficulties in applying to college. Wilson Smith, one such senior, is no exception. “A major problem I have with the new internet filter is how it messes up my connection at home. Every now and then, the connection drops out and says lightspeed is blocking it, for no reason. It seems slower in general, too, and makes work more arduous.” On the eve of this interview, Smith was prevented from sending several important emails that would have aided him in the college admissions process.

Still others, like Matt Brown, junior, take a more resigned view. “I understand that the school puts up firewalls to protect its own software, and keep kids on task during school hours, but I think it rather bothersome that I can’t get onto any recreational site at any point in time. However, since these laptops have been issued to us by the school, we have no right to tell them what sites we can and cannot access.”

Students at Lower Merion High School are also discussing the issue. Parker Laren has to restart his computer every twenty minutes for any sort of wireless connection. Andrew Pasquier, Lower Merion High School Secretary, states, “Though we are only fortunate to have the opportunity to use these laptops, you would think that if the school district spent so much money to provide them for us, they would at least ensure they worked effectively. Instead, they self-sabotage by implementing security measures that mean the Internet does not even work every-other time you log on.”

Harriton High School secretary Phil Hayes has a few words on the subject. “Although the new firewall is certainly restrictive and keeps students from accomplishing certain useful work, it’s the law. It’s not something that we can ask our school principals to change. Rather, Harrisburg has the final say on this one. At the same time, the problems with the availability of any Internet at home need to be remedied ASAP. This is a technical issue on LMSD’s behalf.” Hayes promises, “Student Council will continue to investigate potential fixes and compromises regarding fair Internet access.”

We spoke to Mr. George Frazier, the Director of Information Systems for the district about the firewall. He explained why the firewall was chosen: “The Lightspeed web blocking software was selected in the spring of 2009 and has been running on the District’s network since that time. It was selected because it worked with multiple computer platforms (Windows and Macs) and it was bundled with an antivirus software, which in turn was a cost savings for the District.”

He went on to address the law Phil Hayes mentioned: “The intent of web blocking software goes back to the 2001 passage of the Child Internet Protection Act. All educational institutes and libraries receiving E-Rate funds are required to block Internet content in accordance with the Child Internet Protection Act.”

We then asked Mr. Frazier how he felt the firewall was running thus far: “The feedback from parents/guardians has been generally good regarding the implementation of the web blocking software on the One to One laptops. Parents and guardians have expressed appreciation for the District’s efforts to reduce the distractions and non-educational uses of the laptop computers. On the other hand, we have encountered some technical issues that the Information Systems Department is continuously working through to correct.“

On Tuesday, the first of two College Fairs throughout the year took place in the Harriton Gym. 11th and 12th grade potential students walked around the gym and visited the booths of each college or university that came to the event. Over 70 institutions came to this event, which turned out to be a huge success. The next college fair at Harriton will be in May, which will be hosted by Villanova University. Close to 300 academic institutions plan on attending.

I feel no regrets in saying this now: Rams football has arrived. 2011 appears to be the year where the Rams make good on their potential, as they certainly have thus far in the season. Matt Barr’s pass-happy, spread offense is clicking on all cylinders, and quite honestly? For one of the first times in a while, it’s a pleasure to watch.

It wasn’t like we couldn’t have seen Saturday’s upset coming– the Rams had certainly looked strong in wins over Chichester and Radnor. But this win, albeit delayed and switched to Harriton’s home field, was of a different caliber. Not only did the Rams defeat the Royals, they dominated the first half en route to a 34-6 lead. Quarterback Pat Moriarty ran the offense to perfection, accounting for all five touchdowns and finishing with 375 passing yards on the night. Halfback Andre Pendleton also had a breakout game, contributing two touchdowns and over a buck fifty in receiving yards. True, Upper Darby woke up in the second half, but a gritty Rams defense clamped down when it mattered the most to preserve the win.

The team relies heavily on its offense, which lives and dies on Moriarty’s arm. Thankfully, the quarterback has been stellar this year. Faced with questions on how he would react to losing his two biggest offensive weapons, Pat has stepped up and become a leader in the Rams offense. His five touchdown performance was the gem of a fantastic season thus far, with credit due to receivers Juwan Valentine, who has blossomed into a star, and the always dependable Ryan Kelly. The defense has been leaky at points, namely the second half of Saturday’s game, but performed admirably when put to the test in a one-possession game for this first time this season.

Was it perfect? No, but it didn’t need to be– and a result, the Rams look stronger than ever. The win puts them at 3-1 on the year (2-1 in league play), which matches this win total for the entirety of 2010. The schedule will only get tougher from here on out, but the squad looks more than prepared to handle it.

On November 5th, they finally broke though.

Playing host to Penncrest in their final league game of the year, the Rams rode all-purpose senior Mike Allen to a 52-27 romp of the Lions, not only giving them the victory but also vaulting themselves past their opponents in the Central League standings. Allen keyed the turnaround, running for three touchdowns and 155 yards while also hauling in two interceptions on defense to slow the powerful Penncrest passing attack. Just a week later the Rams carried the momentum to their season finale against Great Valley, blasting the Patriots 48-21 behind Spencer Reid’s 217 yards rushing. The offense, dormant for most of the season, eclipsed 500 total yards in both of the final two games, giving the team a cause for optimism in 2011 despite the 3-8 record.

Now 2011 has finally arrived, and the Rams are poised to build upon last season’s success. Despite losing Allen and Reid, the team returns a strong core of players who helped fuel the strong finish. Senior wideout Ryan Kelly is the biggest redzone threat, hauling in five touchdowns last year, and is complemented by fellow senior Dylan O’Donnell, the team’s returning leader in receiving yards with 519. Most crucial to the Rams’ success, however, is junior quarterback Pat Moriarty. Moriarty threw for 1,934 yards and accounted for 17 total touchdowns last year, but struggled at times early in the season with turnovers. His rapid maturation down the stretch was a key part of the team’s turnaround— as Pat goes, the team generally goes as well.

Coach Matt Barr believes his quarterback is primed for an impressive 2011. “I think Pat can be a Division-I quarterback,” he stated before Friday’s season opener against Chichester. “He has the arm strength and the accuracy. Pat started last year as a sophomore, and he got better every game. I don’t think there’s any argument, Pat should have been first-team all-Central League last year. I think he’s the best quarterback in the league, and I have no trouble saying that. I believe in him.”

Moriarty had little problem backing up his coach’s words on Friday. Carrying momentum and confidence from last season’s strong finish, he torched the Eagles for four touchdowns, including three to junior Juwan Valentine. Valentine was the big story on the night, also contributing a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown to ice the Rams’ 41-26 victory. “I couldn’t have done it without my quarterback,” he later added.

Rams fans certainly hope that the Chichester victory is a sign of things to come for the remainder of the season. Up next is the Central League opener against Springfield, against whom the team suffered a heartbreaking 20-16 loss last year. Barr, for one, does not shy away from his team’s heightened expectations in 2011.

“This team will be fun to watch,” he added. “We have a blue chip quarterback in Moriarty and an outstanding receiving duo in Kelly and O’Donnell. The hard part is convincing the kids we can win. We’ve had some tough years here. We have good leaders that think we can win. Moriarty and Kelly think they can win every game. Our goal is to make the Class AAA district playoffs. If we can beat some teams, it’s possible.”

This new-look Rams football team is more than up to the task.

From as long as we can remember, we have always been told to set a goal and achieve it or to follow our dreams.  For many of us, it seems difficult to pursue our dreams at this point in our lives because we have one tiny commitment standing in our ways: school.  However, two Harriton students have taken the initiative to pursue their dreams earlier than most of us.

Senior Ameer Carter and his brother, junior Zaakir, or Zaak, Carter, started their graphic design company, Beyond Reality LLC, three years ago.  Ameer, the Chief Exectuive Officer (CEO), Co-Founder and Lead Designer on all graphic design project, says the company begun just as a simple idea, and “now it has evolved from a discussion in the dining room to a full on graphic design and music studio.”  Ameer and Zaak wanted to start a company that incorporated both of their interests: art and music.  Zaak serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Co-Founder and Lead Engineer on all music projects.  “Ideas fired left and right, sketches were drafted and in three short hours, Beyond Reality was more than just an inception. It became an organic entity and truly developed on its own,” says Ameer.

So how does the graphic design process work exactly?  Ameer and Zaak begin by having a phone conversation with their client.  The client describes exactly how he or she envisions an image, and Ameer and Zaak try their best to match the client’s wants.  From the perspective of a graphic designer, this entails finding a solution to a company’s problem in a visual format.  Before the designing process begins, Ameer and Zaak receive a down payment from the client.  The brothers then proceed to plan a timeline of how they will accomplish their task on time, according to the specific package the client has purchased.  When the logistics are settled, the brothers are ready to put their creative minds to work and begin the designing process.  The sketching process lasts about two to three days.  When they are satisfied with their designs, multiple sketches are uploaded on their website for their client to view.  The client chooses the sketch that best represents his desires, and the design process is in action, lasting one to three weeks.  The amount of time spent on a design depends on other clients’ needs at the time as well as how much work and detail the client wants to be put into his or her design.  Most of their works have included logos, web design, album covers, and designs for t-shirts and sneakers.  Their most popular designs are logos and sneakers.

It is difficult to believe that Ameer and Zaak are able to balance managing a company as well as attending school, five days a week, just like the rest of us.  While juggling rigorous classes, participating in school clubs and sports, and keeping up with deadlines for clients, time management plays a large factor in the brothers’ lives.  Sure, they are stressed, but their efforts pay off.  The self-imposed time management skills the Carters are learning through juggling their commitments serve as a key component to their educational and business successes.

How successful has this three-year-old business been?  “The level of professional content we produce over years of being in the business measures our success.  I believe that while we are still a young company and have a lot to learn, we are moving at a fast pace.  With every new client, our quality and thought process gets better, and cleaner,” remarks Ameer.

The Carters plan to put their works with their graphic design company to good use in the future.  Ameer would like to accomplish pursuing graphic design as a career.  His happiness and quality of life is important to him, and by doing what he loves, he knows he will achieve this.  Zaak’s expertise is in the design of music and will most likely focus on music production in the future.

The Carter brothers have a number of goals for the future of their company.  They plan to develop their portfolio and continue to advertise themselves to increase their client network, as well as continuing to work with their current and past clients.  It is important to stay in contact with past clients to they can ensure that they can become their primary source of design or production works.  They hope to eventually market themselves through search engines, radio stations, newspapers, and TV media.  After all, there is no use in having a well-established company if no one knows about it!  As the spring approaches, the Carters are planning their clothing line for the spring and summer seasons.  The designs will highlight great moment in Ameer’s life.

Ameer and Zaak are reaching further than just trying to achieve their short terms goals and have set the standards high.  They want Beyond Reality to become a major player in the design, music, and fashion industry.  Their dream is not only to keep their company alive, but to become distinguished individuals and in the designing world.  The Carters hope to be called by popular artists to help them promote themselves and produce Grammy-winning, multi-platinum albums.  Another wish they have is to be called by the commission for the major fashion shows to promote their collections, and to be involved in New York Premier Fashion Week.  With their future successes, Ameer and Zaak plan to have their works be featured in magazines as the next company to watch.  Sure, their objective may seem larger than the aspiring lawyer or doctor, but their dreams are obtainable.  It is a complex, time-consuming process, but that will not Ameer and Zaak from being determined to reach their goals.

The Carter siblings have certainly taken their passion to the next level.  Their inspiration and enthusiasm for graphic design and music production is the driving force that keeps their company alive.  They exemplify the motto that you should “do what you love, and love what you do.”  While pursuing a dream with dedication and hard work, one can achieve anything imaginable.  When you watch the Superbowl in a few years, look out for the commercial that everyone will be raving about—designed by Ameer and Zaak Carter.  After all, every dream fulfilled begins as a simple vision.

On January 25th, which was National Police Day, however, the people of Egypt took to the streets of Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, and other cities to fight for the end of authoritarian rule.

Among their initial demands were cries for minimum wages, jobs, free elections, and the end of Mubarak’s power. As the week continued, the chants centered around one theme only: Mubarak must leave.

There were a number of factors that led to the outbreak of these protests, from Tunisia overthrowing their President, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, to social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. When the Egyptian people recognized Tunisia’s problems as their own, the youth began organizing Egypt’s own revolution on social networking sites.

Throughout the first few days of the protests, Egyptians would update their statuses with, “Yalla, go to Tahrir Square today…down with Mubarak!” and “If you weren’t there today, you need to go bukra [tomorrow] fi El Tahrir [in Tahrir]…You seriously can’t miss it. This could actually change Egypt it’s time for us to say what we really want out loud!”

The organization and communication that took place on the Internet truly shaped the numbers of protestors. When Mubarak instituted a curfew, the citizens knew they were in good company and stayed out on the streets. Even when Mubarak shut down the Internet in an effort to destroy the organization of the protests and prevent global communication with the people, the Egyptians continued marching through the streets with nonviolent signs and a celebratory atmosphere.

Although the numbers were reaching one million, the military and protestors worked together to provide a safe environment to protest. The military said they were there to keep the museums and buildings in Cairo safe, and maintain order, a stance with which the protestors were happy to comply.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration was struggling immensely with how to react. The administration had supported the Tunisian protests, after all, and the Egyptians were seeking the same things. Why, then, did President Obama not immediately back the movement for democracy? What does Egypt have that Tunisia did not?

Mubarak has been an ally of the United States and a partner in finding peace in the Middle East for decades. The predicament became clear: if the U.S. does not support the protestors’ cries for democracy, America would appear hypocritical, and the Egyptian people would grow angry with the U.S. If the U.S. does not support Mubarak, and he returns to power over time, we will lose one of our closest and most important allies in the Middle East, making it difficult to participate in Middle East peace talks.

The vague words of President Obama, Secretary-of-State Clinton, and Press Secretary Gibbs reflected this predicament for the first few days of the protests. Clinton said, “We want to see free and fair elections,” and Obama publically asked Mubarak “to take concrete steps and actions to deliver on [the] promise” of a better democracy and economy for Egypt.

Over the weekend, Obama discussed matters with the leaders of the U.K., Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia and shifted his language, saying on January 31st that he supports “an orderly transition to a government that is responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people.”

International concerns also arise over what the riots in Egypt mean for international trade and oil transportation via the Suez Canal.  A labor strike could disrupt transit through the Canal, while a new government in Egypt could raise the tarif on the Canal.

Finally, after over a week of protesting in Egypt, President Obama announced his “belief that an orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful, and it must begin now.”

Mubarak restored the Internet on Wednesday, February 2, one day after he announced he would not run for re-election in September. With the excitement of a restored Internet connection came the disheartening news of the outbreak of violence.

What were once energetic, inspiring Facebook statuses, are now “Liberation or death! Fight for democracy in Tahrir!” February 2, 2011 brought a new opposing force to the protestors: those in favor of Mubarak. There have been rumors that these are Egyptians paid by Mubarak to spark violence in the streets, but there is no confirmation of this yet.

At least three people are reported dead and hundreds injured as Mubarak’s supporters throw stones, beat protestors, and unleash havoc in Cairo. Egyptians are growing more concerned about feeding their families as the days of protest continue.

Banks, businesses, and schools are closed, looting is taking place, and the economy is in turmoil. Although the situation has become a lot tougher, the Egyptian people remain on the streets.

Still, things are changing every day.  The situation is continuing to escalate.  By the time you’ve read this article, things will have changed. And things will continue to change.

Photo Credit: Anti-government demonstrators holding tin sheets as shields stand their ground at about 9 a.m. outside Tahrir Square in central Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, February 3, 2011, the scene of heavy clashes with pro-government forces a day earlier. (Shashank Bengali/MCT)