The Bison Stampede – March 14, 1997

The new Performing Arts Center opened its doors to the public on Friday, March 7 for the second annual Variety Show.

The Performing Arts Center, which is considered by many to be one of the best high school facilities in Minnesota, seats 850 people, and will be used for events such as concerts, plays, community events, and other school activities.

"We are very fortunate to have such a state of the art performance center," said band director Billy Soden.

"Our students have worked hard, and we look forward to having many wonderful performances in it."

The Variety Show, put on by members of Buffalo's Tri-M Music Honor Society included acts such as: singing, bands, dueling pianos, comedy, and an appearance by Kermit the Frog.

"Last year it looked like alot of fun and I regretted not trying out," said junior Alyssa Ouverson. "I wanted to gain some performance experience in a nonthreatening environment."

Auditions, which were held last month were open to all students and staff of BHS. Acts were chosen by members of the Tri-M executive committee.

"As a member of the executive committee, I helped choose the acts based on talent, variety, originality, and what I thought would be entertaining to the audience," said senior Steve Minkler.

Tri-M is an Honor Society for music students, much like NHS. In addition to the Variety show, the Buffalo chapter helps plan music events, ushers at concerts and attends concerts as a group.

Proceeds from the show will be used to help defray the costs of summer music camps.

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Members of Four Score, seniors Ben Emons, Steve Minkler, Brandon Tackaberry, and Jason Geoffrion sing Uptown Girl, by Billy Joel. The Variety Show was the first event held in the new Performing Arts Center.

Congratulations to senior Paul Shamla who recently scored a perfect 1,600 on the SAT examination. Shamla is also one of only 14,000 finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. This places him in an elite group of about .5% of all graduating seniors in the United States.

Deeming approval of the school board, seniors will be allowed to leave school during AAA as of April 2. If seniors choose to use this privilege they must leave before AAA starts, not after they have already entered a classroom.

"This is a new privilege for the seniors this year and I hope everything will run smoothly," said Principal Nick Miller. Seniors will be issued a laminated pass with their name on it that they will be required to carry with them when leaving the building. Seniors will use the doors nearest the auditorium, which will be monitored as they leave.

"I will not be responsible to monitor this door. It will most likely be monitored by seniors who volunteer to do so," said Miller. The main reason seniors are given privileges is to reward them for good behavior.

"I think we are definitely responsible and mature enough to handle leaving during AAA," said senior Meghan Bidne. If anyone other than seniors are caught leaving during AAA, they will not be allowed privileges in the future when they are seniors. Underclassmen may also run the risk of suspension or detention.

"Underclassmen should understand that they will get privileges when they are seniors, so they shouldn't wreck it for us by trying to sneak out," said senior Mindy Reynolds. Being able to leave during AAA can even be a benefit to seniors who participate in co-curricular activities. Seniors will still have forty minutes to run into town for a late lunch or run some errands and return by 3 for their activity.

"I think leaving during AAA is great because it gives me more time to get to work quicker," said senior Pat Randal. Many students feel that senior privileges are well deserved. However, all students should remember that senior privileges are just that: a privilege.

"I think that we deserve some kind of privilege. It's tradition, and you look forward to it when you're younger," said senior Nicole Peterson.

Simpson cases place spotlight on American judicial system. page 3
Wolves and Gophers take it strong to the basket. page 6
Entertainment Grammy awards have Minnesota connections. page 7

Pro-Life Action Ministries began campaigning to local high schools on March 3 to promote "God's Going Back to School." This campaign is to educate high school students about being against abortion. The Operation Rescue campaign will be held across the country and will be visiting 150 cities. Leaders of Operation Rescue are trying to encourage demonstrators to visit high-schools two to three days a week, and continue until the end of the school year.

The campaign will consist of adults confronting high school students with leaflets and carrying demonstration signs showing what abortion does to an unborn baby. They will also distribute gospel readings to students.

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The District 877 policy states that demonstrators are not allowed on school property, but they are allowed to demonstrate on public property outside the school, like Bison Boulevard. They have not said what schools they will be visiting, but students at BHS have to be ready if demonstrators show up. The students need to know how they stand on the topic of abortion if they plan on making a statement when and if the demonstrators show.

The Bison Stampede does not agree with the idea of demonstrators at public schools. If people want to promote their beliefs they need to find some other place to do the demonstration. Students have the right to go to school and leave school without being harassed by someone trying to promote their beliefs.

Dear Editor:
As an alumnus of BHS and a former member of The Bison, I wasn't surprised that the newspaper had gone on-line, with the on-line version named The Bison Stampede. However, I was caught off guard when I returned to BHS for a short visit during my vacation and found out that the entire newspaper had switched its name.

Following my visit back to BHS, I had a chat with one of your current section editors, asking them why the change had taken place. They mentioned that the 1995-96 editorial board had originally decided to make the change, but did not implement it.

The editor also said that name change was finally made when the full staff voted on it at the beginning of the 1996-97 academic year. However, the editor said that they did not know why the 1995-96 editorial board made the decision they did.

I have no problem with the new name, and I support the fact that the full staff did vote on changing the name before the move was made. Regardless, I would like to know why or how the idea to change the school newspaper's name came about. Changing the name to The Bison Stampede breaks a long tradition at BHS, and, in my opinion, traditions are only made to be broken when there exists a legitimate reason.

I will accept the reason "because the editorial board felt that it was time for a change." I saw my share of changes in The Bison during my four years as a member, including three different advisers, the addition of an entertainment section, and the first junior to be editor-in-chief in a number of years. However, I am hoping that there is/was a deeper reason for the change. Thank you for your time and patience. I want to wish you and your staff the best of luck in the new building.

Sincerely,
David A. Malerich
BHS Class of 1993

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Editors Note:
The decision to change the name of the newspaper was made after much discussion. The Bison was a name that had a lot of history behind it, and the decision to change it was not one that was made lightly. The biggest reason for the change was to better distinguish the newspaper from other activities. "The bison" is something that is used to identify many things associated with the school. The Bison Stampede is something that will be associated only with newspaper. We hope this clears up any questions.

What do you think about these issues? Let us know by writing a letter to the editor and placing it in the folder outside A-102.
1) How do you feel about the new law concerning buying cigarettes?
2) Seniors, how do you feel about your privilege?

For the past two-and-a-half years, the world has been obsessed with the daily life of Orenthal James Simpson. The blame piles up at the feet of the collective media, especially the three Ts (Television, Tabloids and Talk Shows). Cable News Network has spent over 1,000 hours covering the O.J. saga, and at the peak of the mania (10 a.m. CST on October 3, 1995), 150 million people were simultaneously watching television, waiting for a verdict in the criminal trial.

The off-products of this fiasco have been plentiful. There have been Johnny Cochran Christmas Tree Ornaments, Marcia Mugs, dozens of T-shirts sold, O.J. Fan Clubs and books upon books published. There have been television shows specifically made for O.J. fanatics and countless radio talk-show hours set aside for O.J. chatter. And now, over 900 days since the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, Alta Vista doesn't even keep track of the number of O.J. related matches on the Internet. It says that there are <about 3000> of them. I'm aware that we live in a capitalistic society, but when is enough really enough?

Obviously, this case has been a very fascinating story for a lot of people in America. He was a famous football star, but remember, he is one mortal, sinful, human being, just like the rest of us. Nobody deserves the kind of coverage that Mr. Simpson has gotten. Either we like keeping track of a historic wife-abuser and a person who is held accountable for the murders of two people, or we, as a society, have nothing else to do. After the criminal trial, there were some people who were depressed and needed professional help. LAPD cops? No, but people who sat in front of their television set all day for nine months watching the dramatic proceedings of the case. It was such a habit that they were suffering from withdrawal.

While disgusting in most respects, the case has given us a few good things. We are looking at domestic violence and racial issues more thoroughly than before. The case was racially charged throughout. Many people thought that the outcome in the criminal trial was a redemption for all of the bad things that white cops have done to blacks in cities like Los Angeles. They look at the jury being mostly black and the fact that they spent around three hours in deliberation (about .066% of the time spent in the jury box) as proof for that. When people think things like that, we have a messed up society.

Time has passed, and this story really has gotten old. Like Watergate, it came at a low point in the system. It has exposed the weaknesses of the judicial branch, like Watergate did to the executive branch. It provided a few months of excitement before the majority saw the truth. Watergate still is in the back of the minds of people and this case will probably do the same. The media covers what people want to hear, but enough is enough. Let's get on with our lives and forget Mr. Simpson, while deciding if we like a legal system where a few people with money can cheat their way out of rightful punishment.

Winter is finally here, maybe not quite, but it comes in. The snow, rain, and wind are all there. The snow is starting to fall, even if it's just a little bit. We've waited this long. We can't wait any longer! Now that March is almost here, spring is coming, even if we're used to that by now. Yes, spring is here and winter is leaving a foot of snow in our way to make this spring a nice and toasty one.

During the first part of December, it was very cold, but it didn't stay that way. There was a lot of snow, but it wasn't too bad. Then it got much colder. We've had some snow, but not as much as we've had in the past. We've had some snow, but it's not as much as we're used to.

I've been watching the weather closely. The River Nal are bracing for something worse than the all-time record. The Crow River is expected to be at a high level, seeing as we're on a hill, but the Crow River is expected to be at a high level. After about a week, the river will be at least as high as it was a few years ago. Spring is finally here, even if it officially starts until March. We've waited this long. We can't wait any longer!

One would think that after the Civil War people would stop thinking of African Americans as inferior. Another thought one might have would be that women should be considered equal to men after the women's suffrage movement ended, allowing women the right to vote. Because of the precedents set by these and other historical events, one would think that opinions would evolve. But I guess that this one person thought wrong. I see discrimination almost everywhere I look. Whether it's discrimination against people of a different age, race, sexual preference, religion, ethnic background or gender doesn't matter. I hear them all. But lately I've seen more discrimination, specially against homosexuals.

I don't understand why people can accept people born in different cultures, yet can't accept that some people are attracted to their own gender or both genders. People have to learn to accept that not everyone is alike. Some people (approximately 10 percent of the population, to be exact) are born homosexual. Still others are bisexual.

There are many ways that a person can view homosexuality in a respectful manner. They can ignore it and give others the freedom of preference; they can tolerate it and decide that they may not agree with it but realize that they don't have to deal with it; or they can accept it as being normal.

My preference would be the latter. If people would accept the differences in others, the school and the world would operate more smoothly.

Under joint custody, the children of divorced parents split their time between each parent's home. Being a child of divorced parents, I believe that families should decide together how to divide their time, depending on individual schedules. My beliefs on this subject come from experience.

I've realized that being involved in activities while trying to divide time equally between your parents is very difficult. Time spent with parents should be special, not always interrupted by other activities. Other people might have different beliefs. They may feel that you must follow exactly what the law states and are not allowed to change it. Parents may say that their children will determine when they should go to the other parent's house.

Every person has different views on the visitation rights they have. Family comes first, then activities such as basketball, tennis, band or yearbook, is what many families say. Parents may disagree and ask why they should have to sit down and discuss their schedules with their children. Why can't they choose what occurs themselves rather than allow their children to decide? Children should have the right to have a say in these situations, especially when it involves them. Parents need to understand how the child feels. Each family should make a decision on what works best for them. There is a law stating that when children turn 15, they have the opportunity to tell a judge when they would like to go to their parents' houses. The judge will listen to the child's opinion, but may not rule in favor of it. In every situation, there are different ways of handling it. But no matter what the situation, just remember that family comes first.

When an individual is in their teen years, they are confronted with numerous problems. For some of them, one of those problems may be an eating disorder. The majority of people who develop a disorder are very hard on themselves and use food as an emotional outlet. One of the most common types of eating disorders is anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is when a person intentionally starves themselves. It usually begins in adolescence. Of all anorexics, 90% are females and 10% are males. Anorexics endure severe weight loss, losing up to 15% of their normal body weight.

People with anorexia often experience feelings of coldness, insecurity or loneliness, and they also are usually in denial of being hungry and refuse to admit that anything is wrong. Often times they get angry quickly and defensive when others express concern.

As with any other disorder, the person has a feeling of control, which compels them to lose more weight, giving them an even stronger sense of power.

Bulimia nervosa is a disorder that is just as common as anorexia. Bulimia usually starts in the mid to late teens. Many bulimics begin as anorexics, but they soon break the habit of starving themselves, and instead binge (eat large amounts of varied foods at one time) then purge (self-induced vomiting, or use of laxatives, diuretics, emetics, enemas or diet pills). They also perform compulsive exercising (which is lengthy, demanding, excessive and uncontrollable exercise).

People with bulimia, like those with anorexia, experience many symptoms. Some of those could be: having very strict diets, bingeing in secret, purging, preferring high-fat high-sugar foods, use of a bathroom after meals, depression, and/or mood swings.

There are also the consequences that accompany the eating disorder. Heartburn, abdominal pains, and internal bleeding would be a few to mention. In severe cases, cardiac arrest is also something that could be a result of an eating disorder.

"I feel sad because they can't control their lives," said senior Brandon Tackaberry.

Now that having a good sense of well-being is becoming very important in the 90s, along with it one must also keep in mind, while keeping themselves fit, what could happen to them if they let it go too far.

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Anorexia nervosa is when a person intentionally starves themselves. It usually begins in adolescence. Of all anorexics, 90% are females and 10% are males. Anorexics endure severe weight loss, losing up to 15% of their normal body weight.

"I feel sad because they can't control their lives," said senior Brandon Tackaberry.

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Signs of eating |
- eating when you are [not hungry]
- eating lots of junk
- eating normally around [others]
- bingeing in secret
- passing up dances [or] events because you [don't like] the way you look
- having a secret [diet]
- a feeling of nervousness when others watch
- feeling fat when you are thin
- a feeling of anxiety when you gain weight
- thinking of food m[ost of the time]
- eating to block out [emotions]
- feeling guilty or sa[d]

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If you would like more information on eating disorders, call the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus at 1-800-752-1000, or go to the nearest library and check out: "Adolescent Eating Disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia" bulletin, Virginia Cooperative Extension Service; "Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia: A Handbook for Counselors and Therapists", by P. Neuman and P. Halvorsen; "Coping with an Eating Disorder" by Barbar Moe.

When hearing someone mention malnutrition, many people think of third-world countries or maybe the Great Depression. Malnutrition is often confused with hunger. The well-to-do lawyer, or even the overweight woman in line behind you could be malnourished.

Hunger is a condition in which a person has a craving for food. Malnutrition, on the other hand, is when the body does not receive enough of the nutrients it needs.

"When I hear malnutrition, I think of those people with anorexia," said sophomore Cilka Hettinger.

Not having food to eat is a cause of malnutrition. The poor simply haven't the money to buy foods that make up a well balanced diet. The rich may be able to afford food, but choose not to eat properly. People wish to look thin and go about achieving this in the wrong way. Many people suffer from conditions such as anorexia nervosa (depriving oneself of food) and bulimia (binge eating and purging). Others go on strict diets, cutting food intake too drastically or eating improperly. These unhealthful diets are even seen here at school.

"At lunch, people will eat maybe a little candy bar, if anything," said freshman Nick Schaefer.

All groups of people can be malnourished. Old people can't always afford to buy food for a medically prescribed diet, such as low fat for heart disease or salt-free for high blood pressure. Other problems the elderly face include a lack of transportation to grocery stores or being unable to carry much back.

On the other end of the age scale are the children. Children are affected first and most severely by malnutrition. Children develop quickly and need enough nutrients to provide the energy required.

Not getting enough to eat is not the only cause of malnutrition. Americans traditionally do not have a very nutritious diet. Attractive packaging and advertising lead many to buy unnutritious but tasty foods. Fast foods and convenience foods are also bought by many. People sacrifice nutrition for quick, preserved or easy-to-make foods.

Many find themselves taking advantage of fast-food franchises to get their meals.

"I eat a lot of fast food because it's good and filling, even if it's not good for you," said Schaefer.

Television is also a big influence on what people eat.

"Advertising has a lot to do with what people eat, because if they see something that looks good on TV, they go buy it to see if it is," said Hettinger.

Much is being done to stop the problem of malnutrition. Companies are required to have Nutrition Information Labels telling what nutrients a food does or does not contain.

"I think that a lot of people use the Nutrition Labels so they know what they're eating," said sophomore Angi Scheuble.

Many companies have also found that it pays to advertise a more healthful food.

"I don't always get health food, but I know what's not good and I try to avoid it," said Scheuble.

People are being educated about healthful diets through the Food Pyramid, which shows how many servings of each food group should be consumed each day. Food drives, soup kitchens and food stamps provide food for those who cannot afford it. Meals On Wheels delivers food to the elderly who cannot go to buy food. Schools provide reduced price or free lunches to those who qualify.

All of these are helping to create healthful diets for all.

Eating disorders are a big problem in America and many other countries around the world. Health classes teach people (especially teenagers) about the types of eating disorders there are and the many causes and consequences of them. But it's not very often that people are educated about what they can do to take care of the problem.

Many feel that the easiest way to cope with the disorder is to set goals. Here are some suggestions for how to go about achieving those goals: Be open about it -- for example go to a psychologist; increase your self esteem; understand the meaning of "fat" in today's society; learn to eat again (if this is the problem).

There are also simple daily routines that work just as well as setting goals. Remember to set a meal plan of three or even four small meals a day. The reason for this is because the body can burn more calories faster when meals are spaced apart rather than having one large meal to digest.

There are other ways to deal with an eating disorder. Setting goals and going about achieving them on your own can be stressful, difficult and even lonely. A person with an eating disorder could check out resources with friends, relatives, or the family doctor. If none of these help, then try a psychologist. Sometimes psychologists cost too much money for some people, right? State and county mental health facilities and some churches offer free pastoral counseling.

Many support groups exist too. Family therapy works well because the people in the family are close and can help to make situations easier on the person. Group therapy works just as well because there are many other people there that are going through the same ordeal.

No matter what method a person with an eating disorder chooses, it's very important that friends and/or family be understanding and patient with them as they recover.

Activities director, Nancy Bergert and the school board are considering the addition of two new girls-only sports at BHS: girls hockey and dance team. In the past few years, attempts have been made to offer girls as many co-curricular athletic options as boys. They are also reassessing the cheerleading program which may be eliminated altogether.

Dance team, whose State tournaments are in late winter, has two seasons: noncompetitive and competitive. French teacher Jennifer Johnson and gifted and talented programs coordinator Tracy Schuster will possibly coach the team.

The idea of having a dance line at BHS was pursued when junior Megan Duerr and freshman Julie Tokkesdahl approached Nancy Bergert and asked if this may be a sport. They believe that there are not enough competitive sports for girls only.

[It would be] beneficial to bring in more female-based sports, said Johnson.

An approach for girls hockey is to combine athletes from area schools to make one large team; some towns that would make up this team would be Delano, Rockford, Watertown, St. Michael and Monticello. They have yet to write an agreement, but for the first year, each girl would have to split the $35,000 cost of making a team. If the goal number of participants was 35 girls, that would be approximately $1,000 per girl. Although the price is steep, the price will decrease three years after Wright County establishes a team. The team would play some teams from the North Suburban Conference and other non-conference teams, such as Chisago Lakes and St. Paul.

One proposed name for the Wright County team is "The Blades."

Cheerleading may be eliminated as an extracurricular activity due to dwindling tryout numbers the last three autumns, leaving cheerleading advisers in frustration and reluctance of cheering for girls sports.

If cheerleading is not terminated altogether, it may remain only as one or two main squads for teams such as football and boys basketball. Although the cheerleaders may be upset, Bergert suggests that they may go out for other sports. She is concerned that there isn't enough competition for the cheerleading squads. Newer sports may be another alternative to cheerleading.

Spring sports finally have access to the new gym. Both the boys and girls varsity basketball teams were eliminated from postseason play over the weekend of March 7.

The boys team was eliminated in the first round of the section tournament. They were defeated by over 30 points by Orono.

The girls team had a more successful regular season than the boys squad, and also a more productive off-season.

The girls entered the tournament as the second seed. In the first round they beat Monticello at home. In the second round they came from behind, with key shots by Holly Bonk and Sarah Thompson, to defeat Orono. They played their last game on Saturday, a hard-fought loss to Shakopee.

If the girls team had beaten Shakopee, they would have advanced to the State tournament.

Basketball and Minnesota. The two words aren't exactly synonymous. However, with the surprising success of the Timberwolves and the Gophers ranked as the second best team in college basketball, people everywhere are starting to recognize Minnesota as a basketball hotbed.

No team in the NBA deserves success more than the Timberwolves. After spending their first seven seasons as the laughing stock of the NBA, the Wolves are now playoff-bound. Recently the Timberwolves grabbed national attention as they reached the .500 mark. This is the latest in the season they have been at or above .500, already surpassing their previous high for wins in a season with 30. They have remained at third place in the Midwest Division for most of the season, and are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference, with the top eight teams advancing to the playoffs.

Fans no longer are watching games to see the all-stars from other teams coming to town. They now come to see their own present and future all-stars. The Timberwolves sent a total of four players to All-Star weekend this season. Tom Gugliotta and Kevin Garnett were the first ever representatives of the Timberwolves at the All-Star Game. Stephon Marbury was unable to play in the rookie game due to injury, and Chris Carr placed second in the slam dunk competition. Fans have stopped cheering for visiting teams at the Target Center. The Wolves have developed a definite home court advantage and one of the best home records in the NBA.

The Gophers basketball team recently captured their first Big Ten title in 15 years, and are poised to make a run at the national title. As of Tuesday, March 11 the Gophers were ranked second in the NCAA. With a 16 and 2 conference record and a 27-3 overall record, this group is the best team in the history of University of Minnesota basketball. As the number one seed in the Midwest Division, the Gophers will be hard to beat in the postseason tournament.

The Gophers have a bright future. Success should continue next season as well: nine of the 12 players on this year's team will return. With the elite ranking of the team, they should attract attention from the nation's top high school players.

With both the Gophers and Timberwolves surprising their followers, Minnesota basketball fans finally have something to cheer about.

With renowned comedian Ellen DeGeneres hosting, the 39th Annual Grammy Awards ended with self-described "safe, middle-of-the-road choices" for Grammy recipients. Mostly mainstream acts were chosen, to the disappointment of many viewers. Announcements also came as a shock to all who predicted that the performers who showed unusual artistic talent during the year would take top honors.

The record of the year honor went to Eric Clapton for Change the World, which he performed during the show. More musical and musical groups No Doubt and Smashing Pumpkins. Celine Dion's Falling Into You was named album of the year.

More surprising winners included First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, for her recording of her audio book, It Takes a Village. She took the award for best nonmusical recording.

Overtaking new groups No Doubt and Garbage, fourteen-year-old country star LeAnn Rimes was named best new artist. She made history as the first country singer to win this award.

In the comedy category, Minnesota native Al Franken won best spoken routine, Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot.

Other Minnesotans receiving nominations included Windom native Maria Schneider for best jazz ensemble performance and Twin Cities producer Brian Paulson for his input in Beck's Odelay, which was nominated for album of the year.

The Grammys were held in New York, in Madison Square Garden. Critics were fond of the location choice, commending the presentation of dancing groups such as Riverdance, while noting the illuminated floor and a concert quality dance stage.

"What is your name?"
"Why do you want to know my name?"
"So I know who I am looking at."

In the late '70s and early '80s, theater screens were overrun by films such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, Prom Night, Mother's Day and My Bloody Valentine. It was the age of the slasher movie, where cutlery-wielding crazies turned every possible day on the calendar into a stomach-churning ordeal.

Scream is a tribute to these teen horror films. A 12-minute prologue finds Casey (Drew Barrymore) terrorized over the phone by the killer, quizzed on horror movie trivia to save her life. The scene is a familiar one for the absentee parents, the improbably massive house with plenty of glass, the ever-alarming ringing phone.

Other well-known stars in the movie include: Courtney Cox (NBC's Friends), who is cast as a reporter from a tabloid program; Neve Campbell (The Craft and Fox's Party of Five) cast as Sidney; Rose McGowan (The Doom Generation) cast as Casey's best friend, Tatum; and Henry Winkler (Happy Days) as the school principal.

The movie begins in the wake of Casey's death, and the local high-schoolers aren't exactly crying over her grave. These kids are into humor and gossipy speculation on the identity of the real killer. The screenplay is full of clues that could implicate nearly every character in the movie.

The guessing game ends in a climax which, surprisingly, isn't very effective. Some of the gags are funny, but the suspense vanishes in the final 15 minutes as the characters talk their way through a comparison of this finale to the traditional finale. The first teen horror film comparable to both Psycho and Clueless, Scream breaks up a decade of horror clichés.

If Scream had even one truly horrifying moment, a scene that made you shudder instead of just jolting out of your chair one more time, it might be a little better. Although fun and gory, it's simply the slasher movie to end all slasher movies -- too bad it comes about 10 years too late.

Ever get bummed after missing a movie you really wanted to see? Don't want to shell out a few bucks for a rental? Well, there's always the chance that the movie is also a book. But do books make good substitutes for movies? On the other hand, does a movie make a good substitute for a book?

Blame me if I seem to have a single-track mind, but it looks to me that having novels turned into movies is mostly happening to science fiction writers such as Michael Crichton or Robin Cook. Sure, there are others who write books, some of which become movies, like John Grisham, but science fiction has more appeal in the box office (check for yourself).

Jurassic Park, Crichton's park-trashing dino thriller, is one of these movies. Personally, I read the book only because the movie was released, then watched the movie when it appeared on network TV. Movies seem to lure us into the hype for books aren't nearly as publicized or viewed as a primary source of entertainment.

Both have strengths, weaknesses. What about the actual entertainment experience? Obviously, movies rule. Wide screen, surround sound, and who can forget the artery-busting popcorn butter? But movies lack a sense of imagination. There is nothing left for you to create for yourself. This was certainly true in Jurassic Park. Everything in the movie was laid out for you so you just enjoyed it. The book however, made you dream up your own set, your own people, and your own dinos.

Which makes more money? In Hollywood's eyes, a movie by far. However, this is not always the case for the writer. Sure they do get some, but the directors, producers and actors get much more.

So, when Crichton's Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World comes out on May 31, will there be a mass of fans at the box office? Or will most of them stay at home and read it instead? Whatever you do, enjoy it. Then enjoy the other, because both movies and books have a place.

The BHS knowledge bowl team is getting ready for Thursday's sub-region competition in Monticello. The top five teams at that tournament will advance to regions in Sartell on April 8. Tournaments are divided into four rounds, an initial written round, and three oral rounds.

"During the oral rounds it's important to get as many answers as possible and work on better buzzer speed," said junior Trevor Lee.

During the written round at tournaments, each team has the chance to answer all 60 questions. In oral rounds, teams have to buzz in to have the chance to answer. Although team one is made up of the strongest members, teams two and three are a vital part of the knowledge bowl program.

"I am shooting to help the team go to State," said sophomore Kyle McCallum.

Seniors Beth Pratt and Henry VonBank and sophomores Rob Niemela and Eric Sundman make up the first team. Strong returning members will help make the team stronger in future seasons. The team believes in the importance of academic activities.

"It helps you increase your knowledge and it is fun and colleges like people who are involved in academic activities," said junior Scott Moen.

Knowledge bowl doesn't necessarily require students to know the answer all the time. Many times it requires teamwork to figure it out.

"It's not a necessity to know a lot. It is, however, a necessity to try. Some activities should require you to use your brain," said sophomore John Peterson.

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Freshmen Colleen Mullin and Melanie Kjesbo listen intently to a question read at a recent knowledge bowl practice.

The verdict is in. O.J. Simpson is liable for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and her companion, Ronald Goldman. Simpson has been ordered to pay $12.5 million each for the deaths of Brown and Goldman.

Many BHS students followed both the criminal and civil trials closely. Students surrounded the big screen TV in the library last year when Simpson was acquitted for the murders.

"I remember listening to it on the radio when I was in my physics class," said senior Henry VonBank.

Some feel justice has been served now that a jury decided that Simpson is liable, this does not make him guilty of murder. However, all of the jurors involved in the civil trial believed that Simpson had actually committed the murders. Simpson cannot be retried in a criminal court for the murders due to laws against double jeopardy.

"It's possible that he committed the murders, but he was found not guilty so I don't hold anything against him," said junior Scott Moen.

There are many people who are glad to see the trials are over, and hope this will be the final chapter in the O.J. Simpson saga. Others are afraid the O.J. saga will never end.

"No matter what O.J. does or what happens in his life they will always talk about him," said junior Amber Elsner.

Although Simpson was found liable, this does not make him guilty of murder. However, all of the jurors involved in the civil trial believed that Simpson had actually committed the murders. Simpson cannot be retried in a criminal court for the murders due to laws against double jeopardy.

"It's possible that he committed the murders, but he was found not guilty so I don't hold anything against him," said junior Scott Moen.

There are many people who are glad to see the trials are over, and hope this will be the final chapter in the O.J. Simpson saga. Others are afraid the O.J. saga will never end.

"No matter what O.J. does or what happens in his life they will always talk about him," said junior Amber Elsner.

All welcome at dedication of new BHS
Everyone in District 877 is invited to attend the dedication of the new school on Sunday, April 13 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. There will be speakers, a multi-media presentation, musical entertainment and refreshments. The new school will be open for touring at this time.

1995-1996 Yearbook receives award
Congratulations to the staff of the 1995-96 yearbook, Wrapping It Up, for receiving a first place rating, with two marks of distinction in concept and design, from the National Scholastic Press Association.

BHS All-State musicians perform
Congratulations to BHS musicians trombonist Steve Minkler, violinist Alyssa Ouverson and tenor Brandon Tackaberry who recently performed at Orchestra Hall with their respective All-State groups.