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Teens have varied opinions on how much sleep is enough By JOHN SLACK Howland High School Howland High School student Anthony Leppert says the more one sleeps, the longer the grogginess stays. In fact, Leppert said, if he received the doctor prescribed eight hours of sleep, he’ll do poorly in class. ‘‘When I was younger, I could sleep for 10 hours and be fine, but now, anything past six cripples me,’’ Leppert said. A sufficient amount of sleep is critical to a developing teenager in high school, according to the National Institutes of Health. The patterns of sleep are not all due to the personal opinions and preferences of some teens, the NIH said. Studies indicate the teen body will force teens to stay up later and sleep in longer. A phenomenon in the body known as the circadian rhythm is different in teens than adults or children. Some scientists hypothesized that because teens’ schedules become so much busier and pressure becomes so much greater, their internal, natural clock resets. This is the change in circadian rhythm. This change forces teens to stay up later, but there are still required to get up early for school. This accounts for teens’ lack of sleep. Some local teens agreed, saying they performed better when well rested. ‘‘I think sleep is good for you, and it helps you focus. You need it to do your best,’’ said Howland student John Ugrin. Though these students may realize their performance levels are higher when they get sleep, they may not realize what other benefits sleep has. According to NIH, sleep rejuvenates the cells in both the nervous system and the immune system. Experts in this field agree that without the required amount of sleep, there is impairment to nervous and immune systems. Neurons that are active during the day are able to repair themselves during sleep. Still, most local teens don’t buy the NIH research. Niles McKinley High School senior Cory Weddell said he sleeps more the recommended amount that doctors advocate, however, when he sleeps more than usual, he said he is not as alert and he feels more fatigued during the day. A brother-sister duo, sophomore Jack and senior Kate Lorenzetti, are examples of how opposite two siblings can be. Jack gets the required amount of sleep suggested by doctors. ‘‘I don’t think there’s really a connection between getting the right amount of sleep and doing well in school. Everyone retains information at different times of the day; if that time is at night for some people, then they do better on tests if they study later and get less sleep,’’ Jack said. Kate, on the other hand, sleeps about three hours a night. There are ‘‘rare’’ times when she sleeps nearly six hours a night from running around so much. ‘‘I’ve fallen asleep in all positions possible before. I can remember falling asleep at my desk while typing a report. I’ve fallen asleep while at the table for dinner. I’ve fallen asleep on the living room floor ä I just can’t keep going sometimes,” Kate said. Her parents said that when she falls asleep, she’s energized enough to keep going for another few hours at least.
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Scrappers announce Job Interview Day for seasonal employment The Mahoning Valley Scrappers today announced an open job interview session for seasonal employment during the 2006 season. The Scrappers will be holding open interviews at Eastwood Field from 5 to 7 p.m. May 11. The Scrappers are looking for qualified candidates older than 18 to work in the areas of concessions, stadium ushers, promotional team, mascots and souvenirs. Interested candidates should fill out an application in person at Eastwood Field on or before May 11. Interviews will be conducted on a first come, first serve basis. The Scrappers open the 2006 season at Eastwood Field June 23 against the Williamsport Crosscutters. For additional information, contact the Scrappers office by calling 330-505-0000.
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‘Do not test the Lord your God’ By KYLE TENNANT Recently, headlines across America read like the L.A. Times: ‘‘Largest Study of Prayer To Date Finds It Has No Power To Heal,’’ or on CNN.com, ‘‘Study: Prayer doesn’t affect heart patients.’’ As soon as I heard this I laughed. Then I read the articles. The study followed 1,800 patients at six medical centers, and was financed by the Templeton Foundation, which supports research into science and religion. Three Christian groups were given a first name and last initial of patients that were distributed among the groups. They were to pray the night before the surgery and for two weeks following. They were to pray for ‘‘a successful surgery with a quick, healthy recovery and no complications.’’ The patients were divided into three groups: one that knew they were being prayed for, one that was prayed for but the patients thought it only a possibility, and those who weren’t prayed for, but told it was a possibility. The results? I again reference the titles of said news pieces. The first thing I learned in biology class last year is that science may only test the natural world, and is therefore incapable of testing the supernatural world, such as religion. Last I checked, prayer was an integral part of religion. What fascinates me is not what the study has to say in and of itself, but what the underlying theme is. There is nothing that proves the double-standard the scientific community has for itself. In America’s school, a battle is constantly fought over evolution versus intelligent design. The general scientific consensus is that intelligent design may not be taught in schools because it cannot be tested: it is part of religion in the supernatural world. It seems, however, that we are allowed to test the supernatural, we are allowed to see if prayer really ‘‘works.’’ But intelligent design? Oh, no, that’s the supernatural. Fascinating. Dr. Herbert Benson, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (one of the heads of the study) said, ‘‘Nothing this study has produced should interfere with people praying for each other.’’ I think Dr. Benson is a bit naive. Did he really think that in the light of this study, thousands of men and women of faith would turn their back on prayer? How shallow does he think the Church is? This study confronts a strong theological issue: does God hear prayer? Obviously. Perhaps they should have asked me: last year my grandmother underwent open heart surgery and had a stroke as a result: I prayed. She’s still kicking today. I don’t know why the researchers aimed to find this answer to something that they knew they shouldn’t be testing in the first place. The scientific community needs to remember what it tells the religious community: science can’t test the supernatural. Science cannot test religion. Sister Carol Rennie, prioress of St. Paul’s Monastery in St. Paul Minnesota, whose prayer group participated in the study, said: ‘‘It (the study) tells me, frankly, that God’s way of working with people is a mystery, and that technology really can’t determine the effects of prayer.’’ Amen, Sister. Amen. e-mail Tennant at pageone@tribune-chronicle.com.
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Christian band rocks Club Zoo
I’ve given up on giving up slowly I’m blending in so you won’t even know me Apart from this whole world that shares my fate . . . Relient K, on March 31, rocked out the walls of Club Zoo in Pittsburgh, Pa., on the Matt Hoopes Birthday tour. Opening with the hit, ‘‘Be My Escape,’’ the Christian rock band performed the favorites of the fans. ‘‘Be My Escape,’’ was the band’s first single from their latest album Mmhmm. It hit the charts at No. 31 on Hot Digital Songs, and No. 48 and No. 82 on US Hot 100. The music video also ranked on TRL’s Top 10 in 2005. Mmhmm, sold over 500,000 CDs and titled gold. In 2004, it earned position 15 on The Billboard 200. Before Relient K, Widdle’s Worth, Maxeen, and The Rocket Summer played. However, Relient K was ‘‘The One (We Were) Waiting For’’, and when they played the temperature was warmer than a ‘‘High of 75’’. Matt Thiessen, Hoopes, David Douglas, John Warne and Jonathon Schneck, the members, grew up in Ohio. They sing about how God does not say ‘‘My Way or the Highway.’’ No one is really ‘‘More Than Useless,’’ and anyone who believes, ‘‘When the world around you crumbles, He will be strong ...’’ At the stand-up concert, everyone in the crowd pushed and shoved, just trying to get closer without ‘‘Going Down in Flames.’’ The fans ‘‘Let it All Out’’ and ‘‘For the Moments (They) Felt Faint,’’ security assisted those out of the pit in front of the stage. Some crazy, hardcore K fans crowd surfed up to security to get out of the pit, and then ran back in the middle and crowd surfed again. However, for some it was difficult, remaining smashed among hundreds, to ‘‘Maintain Consciousness.’’ No one can possibly listen to this More than four reps is just monotonous We’re losing interest Losing interest Losing interest . . . ‘‘Pressing On’’, Relient K sang about their relationships with Jesus and how there really is ‘‘Life After Death and Taxes.’’ Never forget There’s life after death, and taxes And forgiveness comes And all of the rest, is what passes away Death and decay can’t stop us now . . . They ended full force (horse) with ‘‘Who I am Hates Who I’ve Been,’’ the second single off their latest album, Mmhmm. The single earned the No. 37 and No. 66 spot on the US Hot 100. It was also chosen for the latest ‘‘Now That’s What I Call Music’’, volume 21, which is in stores now. The Christian band has released four full-lengthed albums, a Christmas CD, a demo, and five EPs. In 2003, their CD Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right...but Three Do, hit No. 38 on The Billboard 200 and titled gold. Their recent EP, Apathetic, is No. 94 on The Billboard 200. When the concert was over, Club Zoo turned into a dance party. However, their songs of Jesus probably remained in the minds of those afterward. And when the doors were closed I heard no ‘‘I told you so’s...’’ I said the words I knew you knew Oh God, oh God, I needed you God all this time I needed you I needed you . . . Because for Jesus, ‘‘Less is More.’’ And as Relient K says, ‘‘The Rest is Up to You.’’
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By JESSIE BLACK Lakeview High School CORTLAND ‘‘Over the last year, Web site popularity has exploded,’’ Lakeview High School Principal Fred Kunar said during a meeting held in response to complaints from parents about misuse by students of personal Web pages. These Web sites, primarily Myspace.com, have been causing many problems for parents and, more recently, school districts across the nation. The problems have remained a private, home affair for several years without schools being forced to turn a listening ear, rather, in this case, a watchful eye toward the Web sites. ‘‘This is a problem that the parents must deal with,’’ said Kunar during the meeting. ‘‘I do not want anything to do with this situation.’’ Richard Stevens, vice-principal, and Kunar had to make it their problem, however, after many enraged parents called both school administrators asking them what was going to be done in response to the obscenities being displayed on Myspace accounts of Lakeview students. ‘‘I am not going to do anything as principal to control your own kids,’’ Kunar replied to the parents and students. The administrators advised students on what is appropriate to post on a public Web page and what is not. ‘‘What you do online is your business,’’ said Kunar. ‘‘But you have to be careful with what you put online.’’ Kunar and Stevens stressed that displaying full home addresses and other personal information is dangerous. ‘‘What I can’t believe,’’ said Stevens, ‘‘is that students would hand out a free roadmap to their houses for everyone to see.’’ With approximately 50,000 sexual predators surfing the Web every minute with more than 50 registered in Trumbull County, Kunar and Stevens urged the necessity of disclosure on Myspace and other Web sites that host personal Web pages. According Kunar, two out of five girls, aged 13 to 15, communicate with a sexual predator every day. ‘‘Once the information is out there, it’s out there,’’ Stevens said. ‘‘There’s no privacy on the Internet.’’ Kunar and Stevens concluded the meeting by stating that a meeting is being scheduled in May in hopes of further informing Lakeview parents on the dangers of their children’s favorite personal Web sites. ‘‘You have to be responsible,’’ Stevens said. ‘‘You must be responsible and use good judgment when using the Internet.’’
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