The demand for troops has risen since the start of the war in Iraq. Since recruiting hasn’t been bringing in near enough soldiers, secretary of defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld, has turned to the national guard. The National Guard has previously been used to help with natural disasters as well as defense for the country.

Those who signed up before the change in policy were told they would only have to serve one weekend a month and 2 weeks a year. Instead, they are being shipped to Iraq with no other choice except desertion. The ethics of this are questionable at best, and the policy shouldn’t be able to change so drastically.

Recruiting conditions have become harsher. Often times recruiters will "roll a doughnut" which is a term for going a whole month without signing a single recruit. "The fish are no longer jumping in the boat," said Lt. Gen. Steve Blum. "Our guys are going to have to learn how to fish." All over the country recruiters have been trying to get people to sign up. They come to the high schools, but the minimum age for joining is 17, which requires a legal guardian’s consent.

The National Guard did participate in both World Wars. The war on Iraq however, is not a world war. Citizen’s of the US are not in any danger because of the war, except for the fact that we don’t have enough of the National Guard to protect us if another country decided to attack.

There isn’t even a truly legitimate reason for it to be going on. Afghanistan attacked us in 9/11, not Iraq. There were alleged nuclear weapons, but they were never found. If that’s the case, why aren’t we on top of Korea?

After World War II it was proposed that those serving in the armed forced would receive a free education at any college the soldier got accepted to, courtesy of the government. Yes, it was expensive, but it was an investment in the future of America, in education, it opened up countless doors and contributed to the formation of a middle class. Now the army receives $36,000 for education, hardly enough to pay for four years at most state universities. The national guard however only gets 27% of that, even though many of them are doing much more for the armed services than they ever intended.

You are a pulchritudinous statement of hideous clichés. What I assumed was a tall tale, folklore, fictitious. Pop rocks and Coke, you know an urban myth. But no, not you. Tangible as the ink scribed into my hand, you are a bender of [and he said let there be] light. Beckoning darkness… my personal manmade lord Shiva.

Questionable motives, but oh, how you soar! If they never told you firsthand then it’s gossip, and even then you’re a skeptic. Not a cynic, just a firm believer that we can’t roll the truth off our tongues. Ah, but you’ll make certain to pass the gossip onto the next willing ear, twisting, them, contorting until they’re in tortuous tangles that take months to unravel and decipher the meaning intended [if it ever will be]. Let us pray it was not tainted before you caught wind of it. Either way, bad news for us, it’s your divine right.

Dictatorship, and I swear that’s all you know. Watching from afar and we’re just your obscure little pawns, here to do your [petty] bidding. We whole heartedly disagree with your [selfish] logic, but have not the implements to rebel against a god. See, unless we have an uncanny trickster on our side, the cause would be most unfeasible. You know this, yes you know it well, so take the most subtle [appearing] precautions, a certainty that aid will not come. SOS! [Save our souls]. Can they not hear the morse code pounding like a hammer to their very head, the shrill cry of the beeps and then a gentle pause followed by more screeching?

December, again, already. You depose [with your fingers crossed?] that we will not be left ravenous. Come the starving days, or so we call them, our bellies will be filled. We put all our faith in you, expected your promises to be fulfilled. Of course, you planned this, knowing when our hopes are raised so high, therefore come crashing, pirouetting out of control, that it’s nigh unbearable, or to harsh to cope. You said, assured us everything would be quintessential, but you are not a deity of your word [fibs, that’s all]. Do you not see that we are emaciated past rationality. You can even see it in our hands, as our gaunt fingers run through one another’s hair, so skeletal, so sickeningly skeletal.

The hand crafted damaru is beating the death dance of the French Revolution, as you march us to La Guillotine. After we pass, we’re all wearing the same low cut jeans and generic green camisole, or shirt in the case of men. Slaughter of identity, a mass massacre of distinction. Stalin, in a more rational sense, but that doesn’t make your cause any more righteous than it was seven seconds ago.

Hinduism is not, has never been, and most likely will never be a polytheistic religion. While many sources will tell you otherwise, I assure you, if you ask a Hindu they will agree. This misconception is an understandable one, however, since the Supreme Being has numerous forms which represent its many aspects. Also, just for the record, they don’t worship cows either. In the Bhagavad Gita (a religious text) Krishna (a form of God) quotes "...among cows I am Kamadhenu the wish fulfiller..." Also, many of them are vegetarian, and therefore do not eat meat. This is common and encouraged (but not mandatory) because all living things are considered sacred.

I was lucky enough to get the chance to learn about Hinduism from those who practice it, rather than a possibly inaccurate book. The opportunity was presented to me by my mom’s friend, who taught a Sunday school class on the religion, and I was more than happy to accept. At first, I was a little nervous; after all, I would be the only Caucasian, non-Hindu in the class. My fear was an irrational one, as no one seemed to mind my being there, or even give me so much as a questioning side glace. Everyone was very open minded and didn’t even ask me why I was there for a couple weeks. When the question did finally come up, they all seemed to like that I was interested in learning about their religion.

Most of the classes were spent reading the Bhagavad Gita and discussing it. The work is wonderfully written, and is a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. Arjuna is on the battlefield and having second thoughts about fighting, and possibly killing, those on the opposing side, many of which are related to him. Krishna comes, telling him that it is his duty to fight and reclaim what is rightfully his. The text includes a moral code, subtly scribed within it. A couple examples include: to not become attached to material things and be content with what you have, but always strive to better yourself. Although I don’t believe I am likely to reach the ideal level of selflessness, being conscious of it is very humbling and does do me some good. Most religions have basic rules to live by, and you don’t have to worship anyone or anything to adopt them.

Another activity done in class was singing in Hindi. I never quite got the hang of it, for many of the combinations of letters were foreign to me, and awkwardly rolled off my tongue. Usually, I kept my voice low, not wanting to ruin the musical prayer. The songs were beautiful, and very calming to listen/sing to.
I was also got to participate in a Diwali (the "w" is pronounced "v") festival, which is the Hindu festival of lights. We lit tea lights, and placed them around a swimming pool. We also filled in chalk shapes with colored sand, a variation of a common Hindu traditional art used to appease the gods, called Rangoli. Setting off fireworks was something I had never had the privilege to do previously to that night.

Sanskriti also held two pujas, the latter was in honor of Lord Shiva (the destroyer of both good and bad things). We read about Shiva, cooed at the little children singing "If you know Shiva loves you clap your hands," and watched some of the more experienced students dance. After all of that, we stood in a line to pay out respects to the god. As I got to the front, a group of us held a tray of candles and rotated it in a circle in front of the representation of the idol – this is called an Aarti and is used to reach the highest love for God. Some of the people in line touched the representation’s feet to ask for blessings. Around the figure were offerings to the god; food and flowers, called Prasad. The god is said to take a bit of the food, and then, the leftovers are filled with divine grace or blessings. The puja ended with everyone receiving and eating a handful of nuts, raisins, and sugar crystals, some of the Prasad.

I’m well aware I’ve hardly scratched the surface of Hinduism. I’ve learned a lot though, and the experience was eye opening. Everyone should get the chance to learn about at least one other religion/culture/way of life, we should embrace what the rest of the world has to offer.

iPod

Students have been told that iPods are not allowed from the time they enter the building until the time the 2:30 bell rings. This rule was in effect last year, but the administration is supposedly more strict now. After several iPod thefts, it was decided enough was enough, and the teachers were informed in one of their several meetings before school started. "If we don’t allow them, they can’t be stolen, and people need to be social; learn to communicate with each other," said Flemming. "All it took was one [thievery] to get my attention because they’re so expensive."

A large portion of our student body is taking the news well, after all, not everyone has an iPod, and many who do wouldn’t risk taking it to school very often. There are some however, who rather not have the rule. "If you’re done with your work and the teacher isn’t talking, I think it should be okay," said Keli Deck. She also said that she thinks the students will disregard the rule.

Some of the students that did have an iPod, claimed they still listened to it during school hours everyday. Trevor Crossland, however, said, "I was listeing to my iPod in the hallway yesterday, and all the teachers kept telling me to put my iPod away." He was also surprised since he hadn’t expected the teachers to enforce the rule anymore sternly than they had last year. Ten iPods have already been taken up in the first week and a half of school by the AP’s.

Fifty teachers were asked whether they enforced the iPod rule, 38 said they did. Twenty-four percent did not, at least, after the lesson was over. I decided to borrow some noticeable, white iPod headphones from a friend of mine and roam the halls to see if any of the teachers actually did stop me. I did not keep to the same hall, but rather decided to go around the whole building. The first day, none of the teachers said a word, and I was extra careful to make the headphones visible. I walked by some of the same teachers who had told be the day before they enforced the rule. The second day I was caught twice, once by Coach Kirchner and again by Jill Malpass.

Paragraph about Kirchner.

"It could me a cheating mechanism, it takes away from your learning, so it’s a distraction for you," Malpass said. Cheating with an iPod would be fairly simple. IPod users can just record their own voice and play it back. Most of the cheaters will just find another way though, if they can’t use their iPods. There’s a ton of other new electronic devices that can be used, and the infamous glancing at a neighbor’s paper or writing information on your hand. Really, when it comes to cheating and tests, the teachers need to be alert.

Malpass went on to say although iPods may not be a distraction for some students, but it may for others. Some studies show that some people learn better with music, others claim that the learning process is much more effective without it. Everyone learns differently, and the effect of music ultimately depends on the kid. Malpass thought the teachers weren’t enforcing the rule because "maybe they’re not noticing." That would not be to surprising, although I made the headphones clearly visible, not all the teachers were in the hall, and many that were had been talking among themselves or to other students. Even then, with the sea of people, those who were watching the kids as they passed by could have easily missed me. The teachers aren’t looking for a reason to get the students in trouble.

As long as the teachers are enforcing the rule during lessons, and tests, the iPods aren’t a distraction from the learning process. Many teachers have their own policy on iPods, whether it coincides with the schools or not, and should be able to tell when it is appropriate and when it is not. The teachers job is to teach, they decide what’s a problem and what isn’t in the classroom.

TWHS is not the only school to have iPod thefts, although that comes to no surprise. Some students have gone as far as to sue. A case that has yet to reach a conclusion, is currently going on in Chicago. Apparently one girl lent her iPod to a friend, and went to the bathroom. When she got back to the classroom, her iPod and friend were gone. The friend claimed not to have taken it, but instead put it back on the girls desk. Although it’s not in schools, teenagers are getting mugged on city trains in New York. One such case included a stabbing that required 44 sitches. Also, in Brooklyn, there have been two teenage boy charge on murder over an iPod. Nothing so extreme as murder has happened in The Woodlands over an iPod. However, users all over the country are encouraged to be cautious.