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Colleges selling out

By Annie Peirce | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

With students across America spending hundreds of dollars on admissions and preparation classes for SAT tests and writing favorable college essays, it is comforting to know that colleges are spending even more than the students are in selling themselves.

Bomb threats empty school

By Julia Kay | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

This ol' Blair just ain't what it used to be

By Elana Eisen-Markowitz | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

First day runs smoothly

By Anthony Glynn | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

Photo: Chicken Kebabs

By Claire Sleigh | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

The chicken kebabs are excessively spicy.

Photo: Smith

By Lorena Kowalewski | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Smith surges ahead of two Magruder players.

Photo: mega mart1

By Andrew Kirwan | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Customers check out on a busy day at Mega Mart.

Photo: Chicken Tikka Masala

By Claire Sleigh | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the many tasty options at Planet Bollywood.

No end in sight

By Rocky Hadadi | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

"Iraq is steeped in history. It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham. Tread lightly there.” On March 20, 2003, Lieutenant Tim Collins gave this advice to his battle group, the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish at Fort Blair Mayne desert camp, 20 miles from the Iraqi border. Collins' words of advice to his troops could not be more correct—our involvement in Iraq should have been done with care, finesse and expertise. Instead, we refused to "tread lightly” and have tried to force our democratic ideals on a nation that continues to staunchly refuse them. In fact, the use of guerrilla warfare now by insurgents threatens to turn Iraq into another Vietnam.

Photo: Front of Wheaton

By Andrew Kirwan | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

The front of Wheaton High School.

Photo: Big Ben

By AP | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Photo: Forte

By ESPN | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Photo: Chicken Tikka Masala

By Claire Sleigh | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the many tasty options at Planet Bollywood.

Photo: Frost/Nixon

By | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

David Frost (Michael Sheen) and President Richard M. Nixon (Frank Langella) lock horns during the last of four interviews. Photo courtesy of Universal.

Photo: Michael Sam

By Chicagophoenix.com | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Photo: Eli Manning Giants

By espn.go.com | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

Photo: Redskins v Cowboys

By Getty Images | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In ‎Latest »

High heels bring teenagers down

By Abigail Graber | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

"You can't beat a vampy high glam stiletto for nights on the town,” raves Steven Cojocaru on the People Magazine website, where he serves as resident fashion guru. What Cojocaru fails to mention is the hefty price tag on vamp: Strapping on stilettos, platforms and pumps to follow in J. Lo's bone-crunching footsteps can mean a lifetime of pain for teenage girls.

Summaries stunt students' studies

By Gabriel Morden-Snipper | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

We said, ‘we're gonna make books about books for people who like reading, and to help people enjoy reading.' And that's exactly what we've done,” said Justin Kestler, editorial director of SparkNotes, in an Aug 1 interview for NPR's Talk of the Nation.

Spirit at a standstill

By Sally Colwell | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

"Do we have to go?” one of my classmates asked a few weeks ago.  I begrudgingly got my books together and left class to attend yet another mandatory assembly dreamed up by Blair's administration, an event otherwise known as a pep rally.

The downside of lighting up

By Jennie Breads | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

Two before first period. Another on the walk home. A few more throughout the evening, and by the time she goes to bed, junior Kimberly Montgomery will finish a half pack of cigarettes. "I am an addict,” she admits with a shrug. "It's as simple as that. I need to smoke.”

Elementary school's long gone, but we've still got recess

By Laurel Jefferson | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

Senior traditions include harassing freshman, loud spirit at pep rallies, and… whiffle ball? A bit unusual, but the 2003 senior class has indeed begun a new Blair senior ritual: lunch whiffleball games.

No strings attached

By Elizabeth Packer | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

Samantha Baker sits across from her longtime crush Jake Ryan, their faces lit by the candles glowing on the birthday cake in-between them. This scene from the classic 1980s movie Sixteen Candles ends with Jake asking Samantha out after the two share a kiss. Oh, the simple days, when romance ruled, and friends were just friends. At Blair, where "going out,” "hooking-up” and "friends with benefits” are common, the dating lines have been blurred and romance is no longer required for physical intimacy. While many Blazers still choose committed relationships, friendships that include sexual hook-ups are becoming increasingly common.

Gainous: ex-football star

By | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Features »

Late in the fourth quarter in the 1965 Orange Bowl, a future Hall of Famer and world class sprinter for Florida A and M fields a punt and goes straight ahead, full speed. Boom! He runs into a brick wall.

Who will the winners be in 2003?

By Abigail Graber | Dec. 31, 1969, 7 p.m. | In Print »

When Meryl Streep makes the nightly news and the Mighty Miramax Publicity Machine is once again a-churnin', the Academy Awards must be just around the corner. So sit back, relax and read on to find out which bright stars should win Oscars and which thieving upstarts will take them away.