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OxyContin: a prescription for addiction

By Katherine Duncan | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

Joe, a junior, sits silently amongst a boisterous group of friends along Blair Boulevard during 5B lunch on Dec. 22. After shooting paranoid glances up and down the hall, he is confident that the coast is clear and opens his hand, revealing a 10-mg OxyContin prescription pill. His back turned against the passing crowds in the hallway, Joe works quickly, crushing the pill with his driver's license and pushing the powder into a thin line on the cover of his student planner. In a matter of seconds, he snorts the drug through a pen cap and up his nose, brushes any residue onto the floor and leans back into the wall.

Without a "Hitch"

By Nick Falgout | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

It's official: Will Smith can do anything. Quick addendum: Will Smith can do anything,assuming "anything” refers to playing cocky characters in highly entertaining films. Smith has always been good for a snarky line here, a goofy grin there. He doesn't disappoint in his romantic comedy debut, the light and witty "Hitch."

Photo: confessions of a shopaholic

By | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In ‎Latest »

Phillis Wheatley

By Erik Li | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

Phillis Wheatley was the first noteworthy black female poet of the U.S. In the fight for black freedom, abolitionists often cited her works in order to refute the claim of black intellectual inferiority. Thought to be born near present-day Senegal in about 1753, Wheatley was kidnapped and enslaved in 1761. She was sold in Boston to the Wheatley family, who treated her as kindly as their own two daughters.

Photo: PLayerplayoff

By Diana Frey | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In ‎Latest »

Senior Nathan Barrymore skates with the puck against Broadneck.

UMCP sponsors Sadat Essay for Peace contest

By Feza Kikaya | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

The University of Maryland, College Park's Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development invites Maryland high school students to discuss their thoughts concerning peace in the Middle East and throughout the world in essay form. Entries should be postmarked by March 18.

An old leader dies, a new day dawns

By Rocky Hadadi | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

He was in the headlines for 55 years, glorified in the fight against Israel and known for violent tactics and hard-line ideology. To some he was a romantic revolutionary, the Middle Eastern counterpart to Communist poster-boy Ché Guevara and a hero to the Palestinian people. Now, Yasser Arafat's death has left a question mark in the middle of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Silver Chips Online named Pacemaker finalist

By Seema Kacker | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

Silver Chips Online was selected as one of seven finalists in the National Scholastic Press Association's (NSPA) annual online Pacemaker competition. Winners will be announced at a journalism convention in April.

Ice Hockey season still alive

By Erik Kojola | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

The Blair Community Ice Hockey team was given a second life as Broadneck forfeited their first round victory over Blair. Thus Blair will play at least one more game this season as they advance to the second round of the state playoffs.

MCPS named as "Gold Medal" school system for 10th time in national survey

By Alexander Gold | Feb. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

MCPS received a gold medal from Expansion Management magazine for the 10th consecutive year for its attractiveness to the business community, according to the MCPS Bulletin.

"Hitch”: refreshing and cute

By Joanna Pinto-Coelho | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

Will Smith returns to the big screen in 2005 with "Hitch,” his first romantic comedy, alongside comedian Kevin James and rising starlet Eva Mendes. Though "Hitch” does not step outside the proverbial chick-flick box, its characters and conflicts give an old tune new flair and prevent any sort of jaded vibe.

"Dawn" of a new and beautiful day

By Nick Falgout | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

The recent rediscovery of the synthesizer had left me a bit confused. Synthesizers don't generally summon particularly good mental images, unless of course one is a fan of overly schmaltzy "Rocky"-endings or big-poofy-hair bands of the late 80's. When bands like The Killers and Motion City Soundtrack recently decided that is was time to dig up that particular grave, the results were less than stellar. The best tracks The Killers had to offer were relatively synth-free anyway (a la "Mr. Brightside,") and Motion City Soundtrack's whining casio-lines were more annoyingly catchy than musical. Neither band profited from the relic, and both suffered. But M83's sophomore release, "Before the Dawn Heals Us,” has absolved my doubt. M83 succeeds where others before them failed: namely, in making the synthesizer an addition to, not a subtraction from, the music, and masterful one at that. The soaringly, hauntingly, painfully, and at times creepily beautiful tracks on the French band's sophomore release are well worth their weight in any arbitrary precious metal, as well as $17.99 or a couple months of grating "Somebody Told Me" choruses.

Maryland upsets rival Duke

By Erik Kojola | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

The University of Maryland men's basketball team has all but ensured a bid to the NCAA tournament for the 12th year in a row as they defeated both Virginia Tech and Duke this week. With the Terrapins upset 99-92 OT victory over seventh-ranked Duke, Maryland swept the Blue Devils in the regular season for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

Student education lost in translation

By Katy Lafen | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Features »

When senior Jose Kafie lived in El Salvador, his parents were actively involved in his education. They hosted a parent reunion, met with his teachers regularly and made time to talk with Kafie about school. However, once his family moved to Silver Spring in search of more opportunities, everything changed.

Blair holds senior inspirational assembly

By Anthony Glynn | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

All seniors were required to attend an assembly yesterday, Feb. 15, that lasted for an hour during second period. During the assembly, a speaker encouraged the Blazers to pursue a college degree.

NHL season officially cancelled

By Michael Bushnell | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters Wednesday Feb. 16 that the league was unable to reach an agreement with the players union, and the 2004-2005 season has been officially cancelled.

Breast cancer assembly held for junior and senior girls

By Caitlin Garlow | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

An assembly to promote breast cancer awareness was held today, Feb. 16 in the auditorium during third period for females in eleventh and twelfth grade.

Sinclair sisters continue dominance, advance to states

By Jonah Gold | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

The Blair Indoor Track team finished the Western Regional Championship today with thre different girls advancing to the State Championship. Sophomores Halsey and Ashlyn Sinclair together advanced in three different events: the 800m, 1600m and 3200m. Senior Tyaishia Jackson also advanced to the Championship in the 55m. The Blair girls finished 4th overall with 41 points, finishing behind Damascus, Walter Johnson and Winston Churchill.

Miles Davis

By Jeremy Goodman | Feb. 16, 2005, midnight | In Print »

Miles Davis was born in 1926 and grew up in East St. Louis, where he began playing the trumpet at age 13. By the time he was 15, Davis was already playing professionally in local jazz groups. After high school, Davis moved to New York to attend the Institute of Musical Art and search out his idol, Charlie Parker.