(Brian Kluger/The Harriton Banner)

Regarding Early Action, the anonymous senior said: “EA is by far the best because you find out early and it’s nonbinding so you aren’t forced to go to a place.  You get the process done earlier, but still have options open.  There is no reason not to do it if the school offers it.  But Restrictive EA is terrible because it’s nonbinding but you have less of a chance to get in.  It’s like the same as ED without the benefit of knowing that you’re done [with] the process.”  Victoria Cano, though, has always felt puzzled by Early Action: “As far as I can figure, Nonrestrictive Early Action is for those who are pretty sure they want to attend a school but they would rather see if they get in before making their decision.  I think this is a perfectly legitimate option though a bit confusing when discussing Restricted Early Action.  I understand the appeal of wanting to know and I think this a more viable option for those who are not quite ready to make the commitment required by applying ED but are prepared to take the leap prior to applying regular decision.”
The next tier of decisions is Early Decision II (ED II) and Regular Decision (RD).  Both of these types of applications are due around January 1st and a decision is usually reached by February for ED II and April or March for RD.  Early Decision II, however, is (similar to ED I) a binding commitment to attend the school if accepted.  Regular Decision is nonbinding and most schools receive applications under this type of decision.  Someone may ask, “Why would you apply Early Decision II when you have to turn in the application the same time as Regular Decision, but don’t have the option to choose from all the schools to which you are accepted?”  An answer to this question may be that a student’s chances of acceptance increase if the school to which they are applying ED II knows that that school is their top choice.
The student I mention above said, “ED II is binding so if it’s a dream school or if it’s your second choice school and you didn’t get into your first choice, it’s really good.”  An expert of The New York Times said, “ED II is essentially identical to ED I, a binding early-decision process but with later deadlines.  In general, the application deadline is the same as for the regular admissions process, but a decision is sent far sooner, usually in early February.  It typically works best when visits and/or further thought, after deadlines for ED I, lead students to be sure that a given school is their clear first choice.”  Therefore, ED II has the benefit of giving students two more months to explore their options.
The majority of students, however, choose to do Regular Decision/Rolling Admission.  Senior Victoria Cano chose “to go the way of Regular Decision.  For me it came down to the fact that I had a list of 22 schools, none of which were an obvious contender over the other.  […]  I think part of the problem students have developed with the college process is the idea of ranking their schools, reach, safety, etc.  Too much emphasis is placed on selecting a school based on its ranking and impressive alumni.”
Regardless what type of application students apply under, it is a stressful time for almost all seniors at Harriton.  When the average student has a college list of over ten schools, making decisions about what type of application to submit can be quite challenging.  It is important to remember that, to some extent, the college admissions process is a bit of a crap shoot, and that, as Victoria says, “it’s the experience you get from attending [a school] that is important.”

(Chris Paine/The Harriton Banner)

Harriton Banner: How long have you taught music to high school students?
Mr. Joseph: This is my 18th year of teaching in public schools (after a brief stint in Walt Disney World, Orlando as a ‘swing’ performer).  It is my 14th year teaching High School (I taught middle school choirs for four years, prior to getting “promoted”!)
Harriton Banner: Why did you decide to become a music teacher?
Mr. Joseph: Originally I wanted to be a plastic surgeon, but my high school band director pulled me aside in my senior year while I was applying to colleges and told me that he thought I would make a good teacher.  I think his positive words were just the right motivation for me to really decide to go into Music Education.  I loved music throughout my childhood, but never gave a thought of making a living at it until Mr. Stauffer [suggested it].
Harriton Banner: What is the best part about your job?
Mr. Joseph: I love seeing enthusiasm for music in young people.  It reminds me of myself at that age each time I witness one of my students get excited about the music they’re studying, composing, or listening to.  [However a] close second [is getting] summers off!
Harriton Banner: What would you say is the most difficult part of your job?
Mr. Joseph: There’s never enough time to make things ‘perfect’.  Most ‘good’ music is truly perfect, yet we learn (all too quickly) that perfection is almost nearly impossible most days.  It’s a tough struggle for real musicians who are taught to perform, well, perfectly.
Harriton Banner: Is teaching an instrumental class very different from teaching a musical theory class?
Mr. Joeseph: Absolutely. While I like teaching both classes, a theory class is much more traditional in nature, whereas ‘anything can happen’ in a rehearsal–more students, more noise, more ‘stuff’ to worry about.  One is highly cerebral, the other kinetic, energetic, frenetic and (some days pathetic).
Harriton Banner: When you chose music for the school ensembles, how do you decide which pieces to play?
Mr. Joeseph: I’ve taken different approaches to this over the years.  I look through my lists of musicians and try to feature my best players among the selections.  I try to vary the level of difficulty, so that even my best players are challenged while my novice players can still feel successful.  I do try very hard to mix the genres of the music so that classical and modern music can coexist within the same program–not an easy task!  I also strive to find pieces audiences will enjoy listening to as much as my students will enjoy performing them.
Harriton Banner: This year’s District 11 Band Festival is being hosted at Harriton, what exactly do you have to do to pull the whole production together?
Mr. Joseph: Hosting a fest[ival] is a huge undertaking.  We need to house, feed and rehearse over 120 high school students (and their directors) from schools throughout Montgomery and Bucks counties.  They will arrive at Harriton on Thursday morning, February 11 and will practice for 2 1/2 days.  The end result will be a concert on Saturday, Feb. 13.  Our guest conductor is Dennis Glocke from Penn State.
Harriton Banner: What are you looking forward to about the District Band Festival?
Mr. Joseph: I’m really looking forward to hearing high quality, challenging concert band repertoire being performed by some of the best musicians in our area!
Harriton Banner: I know you are very enthusiastic about ensuring that Harriton has the best Pep Band possible (during the football season).  Did you ever play in a pep band or marching band yourself?
Mr. Joseph: I did–in fact I used to be able to say that I haven’t missed a high school football game since 1984 (when I was in high school).  But the HHS pep band has certainly grown (from 6 [students] my first day at HHS to 60 this past year at some games) and I’m looking forward to continuing the development of that group.  We may lose a few games, but music is always the fun factor at the games!
Harriton Banner: What is your favorite instrument to play? Why?
Mr. Joseph: I still love to play the clarinet–I was classically trained from a very young age and studied with some of the best teachers.  I think because it has been such a part of my life for so long, I couldn’t imagine life without it.  My parents never pushed me into playing, which is probably why I stuck with it, since I wasn’t forced to do it.  I still play whenever I can.  A close second is my singing voice–I love to sing because it allows me to be me–you can’t fake real singing.  I performed in a lot of musical theatre productions throughout high school and college and professionally (directed a few too).  My freshman voice teacher (renowned opera singer Julianne Baird) was one of my fondest vocal mentors.  Another vocal coach I had in college, Paul Krieder, almost had me talked in to giving up a teaching career to sing professionally in Vegas!!  I always wonder “what if?”

The XX
Quaint, furtive, sexy, The XX had been one of the biggest hypes ever since their album xx hit stores. These four 20 year olds have formed afresh-faced band with a sex appeal. The XX’s lead singer takes on a soft-pop vibe, while the band mixes with their copiously tidy compositions, and liberal use of bass tones. This foursome are masters at balancing the friction in their voices and manipulating their synth and drums to leave airy, negative spaces in their music, filled with backing vocals and guitar. These members may sound like they’re playing totally different things at first, but when put together, they really to create a euphoric sound. Throughout its 11 tracks of their album, XX doesn’t so much as demand your devotion, it simply takes it.
- Sara

Beirut
Zachary Francis Condon leads his band fantastically making the Balkan-indie group slowly rise. (Balkan music is southeastern European genre, for those of you who are culturally deprived.) The romantic lyrics are fantastic are key to appreciation of the works: “When things don’t feel right/I lie down like a tired dog/Licking his wounds in the shade”, unfortunately his lyrics are a little over powered by the fantastic aberrant instruments which include but is not limited to: ukulele, glockenspiel, trumpets and accordions. Their latest album (March of the Zapotec & Realpeople) have the perfect set of worldly ballads, go see for yourself.
- Julia

Hockey
No, not the sport. The band! These four scruffy bike riding vegans have molded a whole new form of new wave/soul. If you love the sounds of Dylan, Hold Steady, Springsteen, and so on, this band is sure not to disappoint you. Okay, so, their lyrics may not exactly be Bob Dylanesque, but, they do stay in your head for awhile. Their chunky beats, gritty vocals, and witty lyrics create a spectacular collision of opposites, with every note unpredicted. This band puts a brand new meaning to “funky”. Their single “Too Fake” was an instant success, when used in a JC Penny commercial, and after that, heard all over the radio. Next time you dance alone, dance with Hockey instead.

The New Pornographers
Ignore the misleading name, there is a huge lack of sexuality in the groups power pop ballads. The indie-folk group from Vancouver make classic girl and boy harmonies with occasional distorted guitar to spice things up. They have come a long way from Mass Romantic, their first album, which simply sounded unorganized. There has definitly been a maturity aspect added in the latest albums, Twin Cinema and Challengers, with softer guitars thanks to leader Carl Newman. All and all they are just a quintessential indie group.
- Julia

Crystal Castles
“Did Madonna get punched in the face? Is that blood? Or makeup?” Well, it was impossible for fans to tell as they gazed at the huge poster of pop icon Madonna on the back of Crystal Castle’s stage.  When I first heard their name, I assumed it was some kind of kid’s band or something. When I found this was false, I quickly fell in love with vocalist Alice Glass and multi-instrumentalist Ethan Fawn. This duo makes for, possible, the noisiest, yet enjoyable band I’ve ever listened to. They remind me of Nintendo, which is also a plus. The album is littered with polished keyboard buzzes and retro samples, and the vocals Alice Glass produces gives off a hypnotic feel to the music whether she is harshly shouting or merely speaking over the madness. Now, Crystal Castle’s have some of the most danceable songs I can think of. Some of them you can go crazy to, and some you can just tilt your head back and almost easily breathe in the music. Others, well… some of the music isn’t exactly a lullaby. Don’t chew more of their music than you can swallow. Now, this music duo is so unique, Alice without her counterpart, electronic whiz kid Ethan Fawn, would be nothing. If you wanted to describe them in a nutshell, you could explain their music as: Your angry coffee-addict sister yelling at you for borrowing her favorite hyper-color t-shirt while you play your three favorite Commodore 64 games simultaneously. Yeah, madness.
- Sara

Shows:
First decide what kind of “theatre person” you are. Would you rather see a play or a musical? Comedy or drama? Do you want to see a big flashy popular musical, or a more off-the-beaten-path, hidden treasure? The best musicals are not always the ones everyone knows about. If you are going with family, make sure to find out about content, you may not want to see some shows with your parents (yikes!).

Some of my personal favorites are Next To Normal, a psychological rock show about a family dealing with bipolar disorder; In The Heights, a Latino flavored show about a community at the top of Manhattan, Chicago, a popular show about greed, passion and vengeance in the 1920’s and of course Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical which the Harriton Theatre Company will be performing this March.

In terms of plays, God of Carnage and The 39 Steps are extremely popular.  Of course there are the ever favorite shows based on popular movies, books or musicians works such as The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Mamma Mia, Wicked and West Side Story.
In the interest of the economy, Broadway has continued the trend of turning well-known stories, music and characters into musicals.  In February Spiderman, Turn off the Dark will open, directed by Julie Taymor (Across The Universe anyone?) and featuring music by Bono.  And in April The Addams Family Musical will be opening featuring a cast of all-star Broadway performers. Also in production is American Idiot, a musical featuring the music of Green Day and Million Dollar Quartet and a show about four of America’s greatest musicians: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. No matter what you prefer, Broadway definitely has something for every theatergoer and all of those who don’t think they like “musicals.”

Tickets:
Ticket prices often vary due to popularity of a show, how long it has been open, time of year or even day of the week. For lowest pre-sale prices go to broadwaybox.com to find deals as low as $40 per ticket for some of the most popular shows.  Or if you do not mind getting up early, get to the theatre 3 or 4 hours before show time. Many shows have student discount lotteries that you can participate in. The theatre will call you shortly to notify you if you have won discount tickets (mostly $25). In the middle of Times Square there is also a TKTS enormous booth, where you can stand in line and pray you’ll get half price tickets for the show you want to see. If you are going to go with that option, make sure to get there very very early! Just remember that waiting doesnt always guarantee a ticket.

I always happen to come across people who say they “don’t like musicals.” First of all I don’t really get it; how could anyone not enjoy a story told through song and dance? Regardless, Broadway does try to acquire to all tastes. Whether you are in science Olympiad, captain of the XC team or even a member of HTC, expose yourself to the world of Broadway!

Finally, it was time for him to announce hts deciison. I held my breath as I awaited the verdict. Then, all the air was knocked out of me when I heard him tell me that I had passed! Everything had turned out okay. I shook the examiner’s hand, and stood in line to get my picture – of course, I turned out deathly pale and creepily staring into the camera, but I am too happy to care.  Later that afternoon, I did drive my brother to swim practice. We played music and sang along together, we laughed and talked. And when he met up with his friends outside the pool, I saw him talking excitedly, pointing to me in the car. When I picked him up, he told me that he had told all of his swim friends and the coaches too. I smiled and we drove back home, ready for an adventure.

Should national governments have the right to control and regulate religions?

In recent days, two examples of this have surfaced that appall me. In Switzerland, a law was passed stating that the construction of minarets, the four large structures that are an integral part of Islamic mosques, shall be banned. Without these minarets, which are used to call prayer five times a day, a mosque is unable to facilitate the praying of those of the Islamic faith. The law, drafted consciously knowing that if passed, it would be impossible to ever construct a mosque in the country, is blatantly racist and targets Muslims, the fastest growing majority in Europe.
Also, another story that I was disgusted by involved a prominent, private Jewish day school in London that rejected a child because he was not considered to be Jewish. The High Court has made it their matter and are ruling on whether the school has to accept the child or not, essentially tossing aside the religious decision and imposing theirs, stating whether the child is in fact Jewish in the eyes of the British Crown.
Governments should not have any control over the traditions, spread, or conduction of religions to such a high degree. The Swiss ban on minarets, in my opinion, is an attempt to expel all Arabs in the country and keep out all that would have entered. Not only is it racist, but also it prohibits the flow of ideas and cultures that makes our world the international one that it is. The British trials to determine whether this child is in fact Jewish or not are not only ludicrous, but also offensive. Who does the British government think it is to tell Rabbis and other respected members of the Jewish community that they are wrong? I feel that both governments are acting in inappropriate manners and are overstepping their boundaries as authority figures. I am revolted by the fact that mere mortals think they can, and are, controlling religions, something that only the most audacious existential power would even consider doing.
The Swiss ban on minarets has caused quite a media storm. Switzerland was once renowned for its tolerance and freedom of religion, but given the most recent happenings in the country, this may no longer be the case. There are two varying viewpoints on this issue: that of the conservative nationalists and that of the liberals. The conservatives believe that the “Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.” Liberals believe, best put by the Swiss Justice Minister, Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, that “a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies” and therefore should not have been passed and is simply an attempt from the minority rightist groups to expel Islam from the Swiss region. The implications of the Swiss actions have been devastating. Islamic clerics all over the world have been calling on Jihadists to carry out holy war against Switzerland for tarnishing the name of Allah.
While one must consider these horrendous implications, it is also important to note what else is going on behind such a controversial law. The Swiss are, as are many other European nationalities, very nationalistic and do not want their culture to be entrenched upon by a foreign enemy; Islam is that foreign enemy to European culture. Therefore, in order to protect their European culture, the Europeans must control Islam, resulting in the Swiss banning of minarets.
In my own opinion, I feel as though the entire situation is ridiculous and the Swiss government should take this amendment and throw it away. It is a racist and ethnocentric proposition that should not be allowed to become law in a Westernized nation that has always been neutral in such issues.
With regards to the British trials to determine the legitimacy of the faith claimed by the boy and his family, I do not feel as though the ruling of the Court will have any sway in the religion anywhere in the world – ever. A government cannot say that someone is or someone is not Jewish, no mortal power has that authority. The British government is putting its nose where it does not belong and should stay out of this situation, harkening back to the separation of Church (or in this case, Synagogue) and state.
I am of the perspective that the British High Court has no legitimate authority in this issue, as are many people. Our camp is considered to be the ‘religious’ camp, or those who believe that this decision should be a religious one and not a governmental one.
The other perspective held by very few is that the government must force the school to admit this “Jewish” boy because his father is a Jew and his mother is an officially converted Jew. They believe that because both parents are officially Jewish, that the government should have no problem telling the school to allow him to attend. However, the school states that the boy is not Jewish because his mother is not Jewish as seen through the eyes of the Orthodox. Because the mother was not converted in an orthodox manner, she is still considered to be Christian.
The British High Court has failed to even remotely consider the possible implications that come along with this case. If Britain forces this school to admit this child, the Jewish population around the world will be outraged. They will reiterate the fact that Britain has no authority in this manner and that is a decision for the Rabbis, not the Parliamentarians. Britain risks not only their relationship with the Jewish populace around the world, but also with Israel, the only friendly democratic nation in the Middle East.
It is important though to step back and consider the underlying assumptions in this case so that one is able to make an informed decision. The family of the child who was declined admittance to the Jewish day school was operating under the assumption that the child’s mother was viewed as Jewish by the Jewish faith. However, this was not the case as illustrated by the Orthodox Jewish day school’s assertions that she was in fact, still Christian because she had not gone through an Orthodox conversion to Judaism. The British High Court is listening to the trial between the family and the school, and their ruling will determine whether or not the child is “Jewish” or not as well as determine his admittance to the school.
In my opinion, honestly, I feel as though the British High Court’s decision will not be a determining factor for Judaism. If this decision results in further debate regarding the religion leading to subsequent trials, the British government will be pressured by the international community to remove itself from the situation to preserve whatever is left of its dignity.
In the end, I do not believe that governments, regardless of their power, military backing, or influence, have the right or the authority to make decisions such as these. However, governments continue to restrict religious practices in order to promote their own national agendas, resulting in tensions and consequences.

…shackled upside-down on a conveyor belt while still fully conscious

Factory farms have overcrowded, unsanitary conditions which cause disease and fighting among animals. The overcrowding requires heavy use of antibiotics in the feed to prevent diseases from spreading among the herds. Growth hormones are used to make the animals gain weight and reach slaughter faster – faster growing, faster slaughter, faster money. In these overcrowded conditions, new bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics are emerging and have the potential to cause yet unknown human suffering and death. Millions of Americans are infected, and thousands die every single year from contaminated animal food products. But despite repeated warnings and protests, the USDA’s meat inspection system remains completely inadequate, and apparently consumers are now being told to “expect” animal products to be tainted. According to John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution, there are 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics administered to livestock in the US every year for purposes other than treating disease, compared to the 3 million pounds administered for Americans annually to treat diseases.
Unavoidably, intensive animal agriculture depletes valuable natural resources. According to Farm Sanctuary, a shelter that rescues provides homes for many abused or neglected farm animals, instead of being used to feed people, the majority of grain harvested in the United States is fed to farm animals. This practice has forced the industry to use vast stretches of land – forests, wetlands, and other wildlife habitats have been destroyed and turned into crop and grazing lands. Sparse fossil fuels, groundwater, and topsoil resources are now disappearing. It takes 25 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat, but it takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat. The quantity of waste produced by farm animals in the United States is more than 130 times greater than produced by humans. The agricultural runoff goes into our water, killing millions of fish, and is the main reason why 60% of America’s rivers and streams are damaged today.
Any of these three reasons should make anyone want to abolish factory farming once and for all. First, environmental problems resulting from factory farming – at this rate, it will take from 30 to 50 years until the Ogallala Aquifer runs dry  – the largest underground lake and source of fresh water in the world. Second, human health – there are 80 different antibiotics in cow’s milk. Third, the animals: there are many animals on the slaughtering conveyor belt who are still fully conscious with eyes wide open when skinned and cut apart – they literally die piece by piece. That conveyor belt is commonly called the “disassembly line.” I encourage all of you to think about this the next time you sit down to your eggs, bacon, and glass of milk.