By BRADY ACHTERBERG,
Susquehannock High School
You’ve probably heard heard of Apples to Apples, that wonderfully random, language-based card game that is easily becoming the most popular party game. In my household at least, it is played more often than any other game that does not involve sitting in front of a screen.
I’m not here to actually review the game, don’t worry. I’m here to explain how to choose cards that will be the funniest, although not necessarily the ones that win.
Courtesy of Amazon.com
Anyone who is in the least bit familiar with the history of jazz has probably heard of the famous Cotton Club in Harlem. In the 1930s, it featured some of the most influential names in jazz including Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Cab Calloway.
Until recently, I was not aware that there was a movie of the same name. After discovering “The Cotton Club” and having already been quite familiar with the real club’s history, I decided to give it a chance.
Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the 1984 film stars Richard Gere, Gregory Hines and Diane Lane. The plot revolves mainly around Gere’s character, Dixie Dwyer, a young musician, who becomes involved with mobsters. Diane Lane plays Vera Cicero, the girlfriend of the mob boss, Dutch Schultz. She is also the girl Dixie falls in love with. You can see the problem.
— By Rebecca Zhou,
Central York High School
With Valentine’s Day approaching, you know what that means: a day where couples celebrate and glorify their love and affection for each other without being judged.
But what if you don’t have someone to share affections with?
That’s why, for some, it might turn out to be S.A.D. — Single’s Awareness Day. Here are some ways to stay positive about this commercial holiday and celebrate G.L.A.D. — Good-for-nothing Love Awareness Day.
Click on image to view Valentine tips.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be painful. If you’re still feeling down, don’t forget you can still find love in other places. Your family and friends are great sources. Share Valentine’s Day with those closest to you and profess your love to them because they might need love, too.
— By WILLOW PINKERTON, home-schooled
The Horn Farm Center for Agriculture Education in Hellam Township is an organization that strives to “Showcase the history, present, and future of local farming.” The Horn Farm is 186 acres of farmland and a 19th century farmhouse, used for meeting and office space.
Pennsylvania has a rich history in agriculture, especially in York and Lancaster counties. The Horn Farm reflects that history and embraces the farming practices and changing technologies to help educate and involve the public.
One of the many opportunities that the Horn Farm provides is renting community garden space during the growing season. The opportunity allows users to plant, care for and harvest their own vegetables, fruits, herbs or flowers.
A more recent project that the Horn Farm has launched is the Incubator Farmers Project, which strives to foster small-scale local farmers in a vast agribusiness culture. The farmers in this program will make use of the Horn Farm’s fertile soils, water supply and farming equipment to produce vegetables and fruits to sell to local farmers markets and restaurants, as well as at the proposed farm stand at the Horn Farm. In about three to five years, the Horn farm plans on assisting the group in becoming a more permanent business.
The Horn Farm Center offers many volunteer opportunities that span a range of ages and capacities, involving everyone in the growing importance of local farming. Call 757-6441 or visit hornfarmcenter.org for details.
— By RAY CWIKLINSKI,
York Catholic High School
You might have seen his metal masterpieces all over York County: his “Gear Garden” on Philadelphia Street in York or his animal sculptures in Glen Rock, where his workshop is located.
Robert Machovec is a self-employed artist who has been working with metal for 35 years.
Bicyclists on the York County Heritage Rail Trail in Glen Rock can see a massive rusted cat sitting under a giant flower in the grassy lot by Machovec’s shop. Inside, tools and metal odds and ends fill his workspace. Two blue herons stand on one leg across from each other. They are made of horseshoes, shovels and pickaxes for the beaks. Like most of his artwork, they are welded together from spare parts he acquires at auctions.
Machovec builds custom-made furniture, lighting and sculptures for a living, but he said found-object art is his passion. His son, Robert J., who began welding at 9 years old, helps out.
Machovec’s workshop suffered a big hit from last year’s September flood, which caused severe damage. Fortunately, he was able to recover and refurbish it in three weeks.
“Basically, I bought a cinder-block building and transformed it into something a little more appealing,” he said. “I wanted to make it look like something I wanted to come to work in, in the morning.”
The building is attractive, with its bright red paint and large fishing tackle hanging from an exterior wall. He welded the decorative grilles for the windows himself.
Now, Machovec is finishing up a motorcycle out of horseshoes, horse harnesses, metal tubing, chair legs and a spade for the seat. He spends an average of 50 hours a week in the shop, transforming what most people see as old junk into vibrant creations.
To learn more about Machovec, email rmach0009@comcast.net.
By BRIA TOPPER,
Spring Grove Area High School
The strong smell of coffee lingers in the air. Paintings and collages decorate the walls. Folk-band Bon Iver plays softly in the background as customers use Wi-Fi or read their favorite book.
Welcome to The Ragged Edge Coffee House on Chambersburg Road in Gettysburg.
This quaint café is essential for anyone who’s interested in music and art — or anyone who just wants to enjoy a delicious drink.
The Ragged Edge has been in business for more than 10 years. On Wednesday, the business hosts open-mic night from 6 to 10 p.m. until all acts have performed.
The café holds First Friday each month. The evening consists of art and music from local artists.
The Ragged Edge has two other locations at the Gettysburg YWCA and at HACC Gettysburg Campus.
Last night’s Teen Takeover meeting included brainstorming and a grammar game — and lots of fun (OK, maybe I was a little over-enthusiastic). When we ended up with a few minutes extra at the end of the night, we decided to name words and then sing any songs that have the word in them. (Who knew there were so many tunes about “bananas”?)
We also went around the room, each person saying a word, to make cooky sentences. Here’s our story (we’re not sticking to it):
The bird poops on babies when the baby cries loudly at the unicorn. Chickens go to the store to buy eggs in the pink bottle; however, it can never buy cheese. The baby ate the dog when he barked at the rattle.
Have you tried any fun word games lately? Share!
Last night, I went to another Battle of the Bands, this time at the Jewish Community Center in York. There were eight bands. I liked the whole atmosphere of energy and excitement. I saw Wavelength again; they played some of their original music. I especially liked this one band, Dismantled Authority’s version of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.”
It blew my mind how good everyone was musically. It made me want to learn an instrument.
I was pleasantly surprised that the first place winner was Nothing is Real, whose keyboarder, trumpeter, and lead vocalist, Kevin Rieth goes to my school. I never heard him sing before last night. Nothing is Real was sort of jazz-rock-funk, and I think they deserved to win.
My choice for the best name for a group, however, goes to Chased by an Ape. If you don’t like that name, you are dead inside.
I would like to thank the Teen Takeover staff and YDR for giving me the opportunity to write for them.
Not every teen gets to write for the newspaper. It is a pretty cool opportunity to say the least. Not only is being on the T T staff an honor, but it is also enjoyable and has made me a better writer. How many teens can say they worked as a reporter for a day?
Recently, I wrote an article about my piano teacher. He saw it in the paper the day it ran, and was truly taken aback. I did not write the article for his thanks -I wrote it because he truly deserves recognition and will never go seeking it for himself – but knowing that a simple article that I wrote could have such an impact was an amazing feeling.
It is easy to forget how downright cool it is that we get to actually write for the paper when we do it every month. I was reminded of just how cool it is this month especially, however, and wanted to express my gratitude. The Takeover staff no doubt has put countless hours into editing our stuff, putting up with us missing deadlines, answering my endless questions, preparing for meetings, as well as dozens of other things I am probably not thinking of right now…it is truly a thankless job. Well Matt, Leigh and Jess, thank you. And thank you to everyone else that has made Teen Takeover possible.
