College Hoops Has Arrived!!

It's far too early to start talking about march madness, but the season so far has been an exciting one with teams exploding out to great starts. So far my top ten looks strong and I will break it down for you.

Like everyone else, I've got North Carolina on top of my list. The more Ty Lawson plays and contributes the better off the Tar Heels will be. If guys like Tyler Hansbrough are healthy UNC will do great things this year. I expect UNC to remain #1 well into January with the next tough game being Clemson on the 6th.

So far no team has impressed me more than the Duke Blue Devils, which is why I've got them at #2. It doesn't matter who they throw out there, Coach K makes sure the spread the court impeccably well which leads to one of the most efficient offenses so far. I asked Brett Watson what his early season favorite was and he shouted “ UNC will dominated and remain at the top of the polls, they are just a tough team to beat this year.”

1. North Carolina (10-0) – An early favorite to stay at the top and final four contender.
2. Duke (10-1) – They just lost a close game to Pittsburgh and should bounce back just fine. They should destroy Cornell next week.
3. Kansas (11-0) - Only a 4-point win over Arizona in OT, but I think they will be fine.
4. Texas (11-0) – Great win for the longhorns on the road against UCLA. Big top 10 match up this Saturday against Michigan State though.

5. UCLA (10-1) – They shouldn’t be concerned about the home loss to Texas, which could be a final four team at the end of the year.

6. Memphis (9-0) – The most talented team, but I don't think they've played their best yet. Next Saturday vs. Georgetown will a interesting one.

7. Georgetown (8-0) - My preseason national title pick isn't flashy, but long term I still like the Hoyas.

8. Michigan State (10-1) - Back-to-back road wins at Bradley and BYU was a good accomplishment for a team playing the most freshman minutes in the country
9. Washington State (10-0) - If you just look at scores, you likely unimpressed so far.

10. Pittsburgh (11-0) – Just off an impressive one point victory over Duke.

Who votes for the president of the United States?

Who?

The number of electoral votes of each state is the sum of its number of U.S. Senators (always two) and its U.S. Representatives. In each state, voters vote for a slate of pre-selected candidates for Presidential Elector, representing the various candidates for President. State ballots, however, are designed to suggest that the voters are voting for actual candidates for President. Most states use what is termed the short ballot, in which a vote for one party (Democratic or Republican) is interpreted as a vote for the entire slate of presidential electors. In the event that no candidate receives at least 40 percent of the popular vote, the joint resolution calls for a runoff 21 days after the general election between the two candidates with the greatest number of popular votes.

The problem with the Electoral College as implemented today is that it creates a huge round-off in the voting results. The popular vote is converted into an electoral vote, discounting the votes of the minority in the state.
The thing I like about the Electoral College is that they pick the president of the United States. They go off how many votes they get for their state that they are in and then they have to vote for that person. The thing I don’t like about the Electoral College is that they should not be able to pick the president of the United States, because the people are the ones that vote for the president of the United States to start it out. Then the person that gets the most votes should get to be the president of the United States.

People Voting for the President of the United States.

Christmas break at Welch Village

Welch Village has special holiday rates for Christmas and New Years from December 21st through January 1st. The hours are changed because of the holidays, so they will be open at 9 a.m. every morning from December 21st to January 1st. On Christmas Eve it will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Christmas day will be closed. There is one event that will be held on the 22nd and 23rd called the USASA event on run Dans Dive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. There are a couple runs that they have not yet opened: Cannon Bell, Dreamcrossing, Rock Face, Southern Cross, and Tree Face. Other than that, I say hit it up and have a great Christmas break.
If you are planning on going to Welch Village this weekend on our very long break your in luck. They have a 25-45 snow packed base and probably going to make more snow really soon."I hope so," said Charlie. The weather sounds like its going to be very nice for Christmas break. Here is what its looking like Saturday light snow 35°, Sunday few snow showers windy 24°, Monday cloudy 26°, Tuesday mostly cloudy 32°, Wednesday flurries 32°, Thursday cloudy 32°, Friday cloudy 33°, Saturday snow shower 30°, Sunday cloudy 32°, Monday cloudy 30°, Tuesday mostly cloudy 32°, that is what the weather is looking like for this awesome winter break. "Looks like good weather to me," said Brett.

Wildcats Lose In Wild Loss!

The Wildcats traveled to Cannon Fallls to wrestle the Bombers last night who struck them with their first loss. The match started much like the last one in goodhue with Goodhue's Tyler Lexvold pinning his guy followed by Charlie Dickie winning by decision. This was then followed by a few Cannon Falls wins until Caleb Deircks won by pinnfall. This then strung into a few more Bomber wins that were ended at the 152 pound match when Chad Meyer won by a major decision. Followed by a Wildcat pin the next match. The Bombers then turned around and pinned Goodhue at the 171 pound weight class, then the Wildcats followed with another pin at 189 before the Bombers closed the match with a major decision at 215 and a pin at 285. This caused the Wildcats to end up with their first loss of the season loosing 34-31. The match was wrestled pretty much the same way is was in Goodhue earlier this year except for the two Cannon Falls wins at 215 and 285. With this loss it puts the Wildcats overall record to 5-1 heading into Christmas break. The Wildcats will then resume wrestling again January 3rd in Hayfield.

Holiday Food & Drinks

Tis the season to host parties and have no idea what have for food and drinks! I don't know about you but I'm tired of the store bought egg nog, and the cider that is just too watered down. So I looked up some holiday drink ideas for you.

Homemade Eggnog-This is so simple to make from scratch -- and so much fresher tasting and satisfying when you do! At my local market, I buy Ronnybrook Farms brand milk and cream, which makes a huge difference with their thick texture and deep flavor. I even substitute skim milk for whole milk!6 egg yolks½ pound superfine Sugar½ quart milk½ quart heavy cream1 tablespoon vanilla¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg½ teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon ground dry gingerzest from ½ orange½ quart rum (optional)In a bowl, gently whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Whisk in the milk, cream, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and orange zest. For best results, make the mix the day before and allow to "rest" overnight in the refrigerator. Strain before serving if you like a smoother texture.

Mulled Cider-A "straight" apple cider, labeled "sweet," is often made from mixed varieties of apples and sometimes enriched with crab apples, which offer an additional boost of pectin to thicken the cider and a tart flavor that makes it more refreshing to drink. "Hard" cider has been left to ferment and is considered an alcoholic beverage. For this recipe, I like a cloudy and murky sweet cider.1 quart apple cider10 whole cloves5 large cinnamon sticks½ teaspoon nutmeg¼ cup dark brown sugar1 knob fresh ginger, peeled and pricked with a forkzest from ½ lemon1 apple, such as Macoun or McIntosh varieties, washed, cored, and dicedHeat the cider on the stove until hot but not boiling. Add all of the other ingredients (except the lemon zest) and stir to blend. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Remove the ginger (and whole spices, if desired). Add the lemon zest and diced apple. Serve immediately!

Quick Grape Spritzer- I get wonderful local grape juices at my market at the same stand where I buy my grapes. I especially like white grape juice for this recipe, but anything will work!1 quart chilled grape juice1 tablespoon honey2 cups chilled seltzer or naturally sparkling water24 to 30 grapes, stemmed, washed, and frozen Mix the grape juice and honey together. Fill some glasses ¾ full with grape juice and top with the sparkling water. Drop a few grapes into each glass for a festive garnish that doubles as an ice cube!

Recipes I found at http://food.yahoo.com/blog/thegreentable/705/festive-holiday-drink-favorites

Now that the drinks are served, you have some time to make some food. I found everything from appetizers to main courses and desserts. Here are some of the many I found.

Ham & Cheese Calzones.

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
1 (11 ounce) can refrigerated soft breadsticks
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
12 slices OSCAR MAYER Shaved Honey Ham
2 tablespoons KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Unroll dough; separate into 12 breadsticks. Cut each breadstick crosswise in half; flatten dough to 2-inch width.
Spoon 1 tsp. cheese onto center of each ham piece. Fold ham over cheese to create a tight roll. Place ham roll near the end of each piece of breadstick dough, leaving a border. Fold dough over ham, pinching edges to seal. Repeat process for all ham pieces. Place calzones on baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 12 to 15 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Yield: 24 servings

Make sure ham and cheese are completely enclosed to prevent cheese from leaking.

I found this one at: http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/kraft/90523/mini-ham-and-cheese-calzones

Penne with Roasted Butternut Squash and Ham

INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons dried sage
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 scallions including green tops, chopped
3/4 pound penne
1/4 pound sliced smoked ham, such as Black Forest, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put the squash on a large baking sheet and toss with the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and sage. Spread the squash out in a single layer. Roast, turning occasionally, until tender and starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together the mascarpone, half-and-half, scallions, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until just done, about 13 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta-cooking water and drain. Return the pasta to the hot pan. Stir in the squash, mascarpone sauce, and ham. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta-cooking water. Serve topped with the Parmesan.
Yield: 4 servings

Variations: Instead of butternut squash, roast cubes of another winter squash, such as pumpkin or acorn squash--or try roasting cubed sweet potatoes.

I found this one at: http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/food-and-wine/743CB0CE-7E63-40FA-878C793E6CFF8171/penne-with-roasted-butternut-squash-and-ham

So sit back and enjoy this holiday season with these wonderful reciepes.

ENJOY!

Goodhue Wildcat Hoops On Fire

The Goodhue Wildcats boys basketball team began the season with five non-conference matchups. Even though the cats played hard in all of these games, they were only able to come away with one win. But now these tough games can be forgotten and the Wildcats can focus on some games that actually matter, the conference schedule. The Hiawatha Valley League looks to be a very competitive conference, and the Wildcat boys plan to be right in the thick of things. Goodhue plays in the HVL Blue division along with Cannon Falls, Pine Island, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Triton, Lake City, and Zumbrota-Mazeppa.

Triton was the preseason favorite to walk away with the title, but, after only a few conference matchups, it is obvious that it will be a dogfight for the title. After two games, Triton has already lost two conferences games: once to Goodhue and once to Z-M. Right now, three different teams are undefeated in the conference. These teams are Goodhue, Cannon Falls, and Pine Island.

Even though the season just began, things are already starting to heat up and will only get hotter as the season progresses. Goodhue's D.J. Buck thinks the season is already exciting enough, "The atmosphere is always electric, especially when I'm on the court." The Wildcats travel to Bomber country tonight with intentions of handing C-F their first loss. "I think we can take it to 'em tonight and take the outright lead in the conference," said Wildcat star Sean Thomforde.

Things to Do over Christmas and New Years!

A lot of kids are probably really excited about Christmas break and New Years that is coming up soon. But there is still that responsibility to be safe and everything and have fun at the same time. There are other things to do then just party over the break; especially over New Years. Everyone knows that your parents want you to be safe but still have fun. So I just would like to say just make sure you are being safe and everything.

Some things you can do are just go and hang out with your friends and have a good time, go out to a movie, get some friends together and go out to eat on New Years, and get a group of your friends together and go skiing or snowboarding. And with that new snow that we might get you can go snowmobiling, you can go shopping. You get to open your presents and spend time with your family. So just remember have a fun time over the break.

Project Playlist

-Peter Gruetzmacher


Project Playlist beta is a "Social Music Experiment" as the website describes it. It is a website that allows you to search for songs and add them to your own playlist and then share this playlist with other members of the site. It also allows you to get a html code so you can post it on Myspace, Facebook, or any of your own webpages.

Remeber that project playlist is a beta right now meaning they are allowing the public to basically test it out and are also trying to achieve a little bit of popularity before they decide to add more to the site. Right now it sounds like they are working on putting up a "Featured Artists" section along with the others that are already up like 'Music Buzz', the 'Blog', and 'News' about the site and updates.

To be able to use this website you first have to sign up , but it is totally free to join. It also has an area for you to post a picture of something or of yourself. You can then browse through the music and other people's playlists and create you own playlists with up to 75 songs on each. I don't know if you are limited on the number of playlists you can have, but it is fairly hard to fill up even one playlist so chances are you won't ever need very many.

Some downfalls with the site is that some of the sites that you can add songs to your playlist from have some copyright issues with them. Also some of the songs aren't labeled right or don't even work so you always have to make sure that they are correct. So with that said go ahead and check out the site yourself. Poject Playlist

It's a Roit!

The humble punk rock band Paramore began in 2004. The band formed in the town of Franklin, Tennessee, named after Benjamin Franklin. Paramore has since been rising to the top. Lead vocalist Haley Williams, now 17, was 13 at the time of the bands formation. Paramore also consists of:
Josh Farro – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jeremy Davis – Bass Guitar
Zac Farro – Drums

The majority of Paramore's recordings come from collaborations between Williams and guitarist Josh Farro — Farro first writes the music, afterwords taking it to Williams for a melody and lyrics, and from that point the song worked out between the two. Once the foundation is laid out, the remaining band members help to work on sound and arrangement.

Under their label, Fueled by Ramen, Paramore recorded their debut album All We Know Is Falling, and was released on July 24, 2005. reached #30 on the Billboard's Heatseekers Chart. Paramore released "Pressure" as their first single. The band followed "Pressure" with the release of "Emergency" and "All We Know". Paramore then toured on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour.

In January 2006, Paramore was part of the Winter Go West Tour playing alongside bands Amber Pacific and The Lashes. In February, Haley Williams lyrics were featured on "Keep Dreaming Upside Down" by October Fall. With these major accomplishments, Paramore was on the road to success. The band soon became the opening act for Bayside and The Rocket Summer. During the summer Paramore once again performed on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour.

With a year now well under their belt, Paramore began recording their second album, Riot!. In June 2007, Riot! was released. It debuted at number 20 on the Billboard 200. The name Riot! had been chosen because it meant "a sudden outburst of uncontrolled emotion." The first single of the album, released in June 2007, "Misery Business", is, according to Williams, "more honest than anything I've ever written, and the guys matched that emotion musically." Williams wrote the song about a past experience involving a male friend who she felt was being manipulated by a girl, and later on when Williams and her friend began to date, she penned the lyrics to "finally explain my side of the story and feel freed of it all".

Paramore again performed on the Vans Warped Tour in the summer of 2007. They will perform on the MTV New Years Eve program which will be running from 11:30PM to 1:00AM. The band has also been nominated for "Best New Artist" at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards presented on February 10, 2008.

Paramore is definitely a band to watch. Their lyrics are catchy and Williams vocals are phenomenal. Check their videos out on youtube.com and search Paramore. I recommend listening to "Misery Business" and "Pressure" Both will keep you wanting more.

Keeping Busy Over Chistmas Break

The Christmas Break is not that long, so you want to make sure you are having as much fun as you can the entire time. There are many things you can do while on Christmas break, so you don’t have to end up getting bored or spending too much time with your family.

Here are some ideas. Get a group of friends together to go sledding. You may be thinking sledding is for little kids, but if you get a steep enough hill, throw in some huge jump, you’ll have a dangerous sledding thriller.

When talking to Sean T. he said, “My favorite activity is taking a drive out in the country to view the scenery and check the roads, and it relaxes me. If you bring some friends there are always lots of things to talk about.” Another way to sight see in the country would be snowmobiling. This is very common with boys and there is nothing more fun than having races with your buddies to see just whose sled has more power. I don’t know what the forecast looks like but it is quite common to have snow over Christmas break.

However if we are not fortunate enough to get snow, I would recommend going to a movie or have a bunch of people over to stay warm and have some fun.

These are just a few of the more common way to keep busy and having fun over the break. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you all have FUN!

Ukrainian Eggs

In my 4th hour class, Crafts, we have begun a new project. We are making Ukrainian Eggs. In my blog I will tell you about the history of Ukrainian Eggs, how to make them, and how our class is doing with them.
Ukrainian eggs started in Eastern Europe well over 1000 years B.C. With the advent of Christianity, some meanings and symbolisms have changed, but the techniques and style are still the same. The colors and designs on every single egg have a certain meaning and each symbol represents a concept or thought. In the ancient times, eggs were created to express feelings, act as protection, and be aids in abundance of life and assurance in death. Every single aspect of life could be represented using a symbol and certain colors. Various regions throughout Europe and Ukraine developed their own symbols and meanings, so there were differences between the meanings of colors and symbols. Ukrainian eggs are often called Pysanky, which means “to write” in Ukraine. Pysanky were very often given as gifts to family, friends, or neighbors. Some more common names for these eggs are Pisanki, Himestojas, Kraslice, and Marguciai, it all depends on the language.
To make a Ukrainian egg, you first dip a clean egg into vinegar and water. You let it sit in the mixture for a minute or two, take it out and dab it dry. Next, if inexperienced, you should draw the design you want to follow onto your egg lightly with a pencil. Then, if you want any of the design to be white, you take the special tool, fill it with the beeswax, heat it over a flame, and place wax over the area(s) you want white. Then you put it in the lightest color die, take it out, and put beeswax over the areas you want that color. Then you put it in the next color, darker than the first, but lighter then the color you want next. You continue this process until you have completed the egg and are ready to finish it. The next thing you do is take the egg and melt all the wax off, revealing the colors underneath. Then you spray it with fixative, then clear coat spray. The last thing you do is blow the egg yolk out. You need a special tool to do this. You take the tool and poke a big hole in the top and a little hole in the bottom. Then you place the tool in the little hole and squeeze it many times until the yolk comes out of the big hole. You may want to rinse it out by adding water into the egg, then getting it out by this same process.
At the end you can put a cap on the big hole, and tie fishing line, a bow, or anything else you want to the cap. Ukrainian eggs are fun to make, make good presents, and are a good hobby. Anyone looking for something to occupy some empty time with something fun should really purchase a Ukrainian egg kit, you’d be surprised how fun it can be.

By: Laura Lodermeier

WIldcats Get a WIld Win

The Goodhue Wildcats picked up their first win Monday night to the Hands of the Randolph Rockets 81-49. With the wildcats leading by 10 at the break, Dan McNamara exploded in the 2nd frame finishing with 16 points 18 rebounds for the game. “(Dan) was dominating today,” said Goodhue head coach Tony Poncelet. “It was dominating; once he got the ball, it was one dribble to a lay up,” added senior guard Kelby Buck. The rockets were shooting the lights out from beyond the arc the whole game. Brett Watson led the Cats in scoring with 21 points.

The next night the Cats headed to Triton to take on the Cobras. They came away with an amazing one point victory, 62-61. With the Cats leading by one with about 10 seconds left, Triton missed two lay-ups, but the second try resulted in a foul with 5.5 left. He made the first free throw but missed the second foul shot. Brett Watson drove the length of the court only to get fouled with 1.8 seconds to go. He made the front end of a 1 in 1 to give the wildcats the 62-61 lead, and the score would hold up from there. Blayne Erie Led the Cats with 16. Sean Thomforde added 11. “Fun,” was all Goodhue head coach Tony Poncelet could say after the win. In the 2nd half of play the Cats' bench scored 26 and as a team they were 9 of 13. “Our bench play was huge,” pointed out junior center Dan Mac. The atmosphere was one to remember with Craig Thomforde and others breaking out into the ‘defense’ chant, along with a Triton student section that was second to none. “The atmosphere was great that win will help us out a lot come tournament time,” said senior point guard Kelby Buck. The Wildcats will try to go 3-0 for the week when they head to Cannon Falls to take on the Bombers Friday.

Different Sleds for Snowmobiling

By: Mitch M.

There are many different kinds of snowmobiles, some are: mountain, performance, trailing, and touring.

If you are riding in the deep snow in the mountains or just in very deep snow you would want a Mountain Sled. The difference from the other sleds would be that a Mountain Sled has anywhere from a 136” track to 162” track while most other sleds come with a 122” track for riding. Also the Mountain Sled had very deep lugs in the track most come with a 2-2.5” paddle track for maximum traction in the deep snow.

Another kind of sled is a performance sled. This sled has very good suspension for jumping and it is a lighter sled with a big engine for maximum power. This sled will normally come with a 122” track but you can get one with a 136”- 144” track on it.

Another kind of snowmobile would be a trailing snowmobile. This would be a sled built with great suspension for trail riding and most of them have a little smaller engine than the mountain or performance sled would. The reason why they have smaller engines is because if you just want to ride the trails, you do not need to go very fast and you will get better gas mileage. Also this sled might come with mirrors, and you may go in reverse, which comes in handy sometimes. It might also have a bigger gas tank so you can ride the trails longer without stopping.

Another kind of sled would be a touring sled, this sled is built for riding in a deep powder fields and wherever you want to go. This sled would have a bigger size engine than the trail sled and would most likely come with a little bit bigger of a track for the deep powder you are ridding in so you can go anywhere with out getting stuck.

So if you live where there is deep snow and mountains stick with the mountain sled or trailing sled, if you just want to race your snowmobile and jump it stick with the performance sled it can handle the beating, and if you just want to ride the trails and you do not do much more than that stick with the trailing sled.

Loook At Dem Vikings Yaa

After starting the season 2-5 you would think the Minnesota Vikings would be looking for a good draft pick but instead they are talking about the playoffs!!! The Viking draft pick Adrian Peterson has been a huge part of there success.

The Minnesota Vikings drafted a running back out of OU with injury problems. Well Adrian Peterson has proved everyone wrong about not being able to run with the big dogs. Adrian came into the NFL on FIRE, who has been leading the NFL in rushing yards for most of the season. But is second due to an LCL tear in his right knee. That put him on the shelf for two weeks. Once A.P. came back, everyone thought he wouldn't be able to run like he did before the injury. Well, he proved everyone wrong again!!! Coming off the knee injury A.P. ran like there was nothing wrong with his knee in the first place. Now the Vikings have gone 6-1 in the past seven games and are working hard to get into the playoffs with the second wild card spot.

They are actually looking like a team in the second half of the season. "It's so hard to stop A.P. Defenses have to put 8 or 9 guys in the box to stop him, but hey that's alright we can do a little trickery and pass it over their heads and we will just pound it down their throats,"commented Matt Birk.

There are 7 Vikings heading to Honolulu this year, Peterson, Richardson, Hutchinson, Birk, Pat and Kevin Williams and Sharper. They are honored to represent their teams. "It's an honor and a privilege to be selected to the pro bowl as a rookie, its been a goal as soon as I was drafted. But we got team goals we still have to accomplish," said Adrian Peterson.

The Vikings are making a statement and aren't going down without a fight. They have a huge game this week because if they lose they are out of the playoff picture. They play on Sunday at 7:15 against the Washington Redskins, and to finish the regular season against the Denver Broncos.

LET'S GO VIKING'S!!!!!

Petrino Bails on the falcons for Arkansas

This could be called a vintage Nick Saban, or a Steve Spurrier, or looking down the road there's no reason Les Miles' name shouldn't grace the name for this award. But in the meantime, Bobby Petrino is king. He outdid Nick Saban, at least that man stayed for a year before sending his former team into purgatory. Bobby Petrino did what is best for Bobby Petrino.If you believe the reports, he talked to Falcons ownership Tuesday morning, but in truth, there's a good chance that this was all going to be based on whether the Falcons won their game Monday night. They didn't. So, while contracts take a long time to figure out, it took Petrino all of about 16 hours to hammer everything out, and figure out that his NFL job wasn't worth as much as going going to Arkansas. I would be outraged, and I should be outraged, that a coach would quit on his team like that. And don't be mistaken, leaving after a bad loss on national television and leaving your team out to dry is a despicable thing to do - but he's done almost the exact same thing everywhere he's ever been. What's really appalling is that Arkansas would hire him seemingly without caring.

The New Honda FCX

Have you ever had to roll up your windows to keep from choking on the exhaust from an older car in front of you? Did you wish that car was a Zero-Emission Vehicle like the brand new Honda FCX?

The only emission that the FCX produces is water vapor. That's because a new technology allows the FCX to power its motor with electricity generated from a hydrogen-oxygen chemical reaction. With a maximum output of 80 horsepower, the FCX has responsive acceleration that is ideal for city driving. Plus, the FCX is practical for a wide range of typical daily driving trips in today's world. In July 2002, Honda's FCX was certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, making it the first and only fuel cell car in history to be approved for commercial use. CARB and the EPA have also certified the FCX as a Zero-Emission Vehicle.In December 2002, the city of Los Angeles began leasing the first of five Honda FCXs, which are now used in normal, everyday activities by city officials. And as the official pace car of the L.A. Marathon for five consecutive years, the FCX has proudly served in some not-so-everyday activities as well. While the 2005 Honda FCX is the second-generation fuel cell vehicle it is the first to be powered by a Honda designed and manufactured fuel cell stack. And it has been certified by both the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board for commercial use. The 2005 FCX achieves a nearly 20-percent improvement in its EPA fuel economy rating and a 33-percent gain in peak power (107 hp vs. 80 hp) compared to the 2004 FCX. With an EPA city/highway rating of 62/51 mpkg (57mpkg combined) and an EPA-rated driving range of 190 miles, the hydrogen-powered FCX delivers nearly a 20-percent improvement in fuel efficiency and range versus the 2004 model with an EPA rating of 51/46 mpkg and a range of 160 miles. In terms of energy efficiency, one mile per kilogram (mpkg) of hydrogen is almost equivalent to one mile per gallon (mpg) of gasoline. The hydrogen-powered Honda FCX has been certified the lowest possible national emission rating. The FCX is a technology of the future that's becoming more and more prevalent today.

Keep an eye out for FCX sightings-because you definitely won't smell them coming.

Goodhue Looking to Remain Undefeated.

On Thursday night the Goodhue wrestling team plans on heading to Cannon Falls to wrestle their sixth match of the season. Going into the contest goodhue is 5-0 with 5 wrestlers that remain unbeaten. These 5 include Caleb Diercks, Micah Huneke, Lucas Albers, Eric Ryan, and Luke O'Reily. The wildcats have already seen the bombers once this season when Cannon Falls came to Goodhue for their annual quad. This year the wildcats rolled past all three of their opponents, Cannon Falls being one of them. The match appeard to be close going into the 152 pound match where Goodhue then deceided to take over receiving pins from all but the 160 pound match where they won by decision. Going into Thursdays match things will be much different this time around. To start Goodhue gets an extra boost in the line-up with Chad Meyer coming back for his first match off of a shoulder injury due to a late football season. Also the bombers will be humbled with the return of number 8 ranked 119 pounder Jared Erlandson and also the return of their Heavy weight. Though the lineups may be different the wildcats are still hopeing to remain undefeated going into christmas break. When asked what he thought about his first 07-08 season match Chad Meyer responded with "Well you see, I don't really know, I hope i get an easy match to start with so i don't reinjure my shoulder." With this being said i hope things all go the right way for the wildcats on Thursday night to help them remain unbeaten.

ATV's vs. Snowmobile's

Owners of ATVs and snowmobiles are battling it out over who can use trails in the province. Legislation gives snowmobiles the sole right to use the trails they manage. But ATVers feel shut out. But it has left owners of ATVs wondering where they fit it. Already the four wheeled drive vehicles outnumber snowmobiles by about two to one. Furthermore, the snowmobile season is short but ATVs can operate year round.

ATVs

4-Wheel Drive interestingly enough, both units are all-wheel-drive, use a push button to engage the 4-wheel drive, and have its own system for true 4-wheel drive. The Outlander uses the Visco-Lok front differential. This is a locking front differential that uses hydraulic pressure to lock both front wheels. As one wheel starts to slip or spin, this action creates the inner working of the differential to act as a hydraulic pump and puts pressure against the inner clutch pack making a self contained, hydraulic front locking differential. This unit can sense and control the needs mechanically as the vehicle needs more traction, steering effort is not an issue. You can also put track on your ATV, but you need more power or a bigger ATV.

Snowmobiles

Snowmobiles have a track and ski's. They only can be driven on snow and not in mud and over trees and rock. They can not be driven in the summer because the ski's and track can get wreaked real easily on the pavement and grass or dirt.

I prefer a ATV because I can ride it all year round.

"TWO THUMBS UP"

Tough Teams Lead Goodhue to a Tough Start

The boy’s basketball team had the Red Wing invitational to open the season. In game one we had Red Wing. The three A school handed the Cats a 65-30 loss. The game was close for the 1st half with Goodhue tying the game at 11-11 with a three pointer by Sean Thomforde. But it was all Red Wing from there, going on a 15-2 run to close out the half. With the game only 26 to 13 at the break the Wingers stormed out of the gate led by Caleb Rosenow. “We ran into a very good 3A team tonight,” said Goodhue Guard Sean Thomforde. They went on to take a 51-22 lead behind his game high 18 points. Goodhue was lead by Dan McNamara had six points to lead the Cats. Blayne Erie and DJ Buck added five apiece. Goodhue had trouble taking care of the ball with Red Wings full court trapping defense. The Wingers forced 27 turnovers out of the Cats. Which led to countless fast-break lay-ups.

In game two of the Tournament the Wildcats took on Faribault. Their wide open offence led them to a 59-82 win over the cats. The Falcons shot 50% from the field and shot 45% from beyond the arc. Goodhue cut the lead to 20-22 late in the 1st half but a 12-2 in the final minutes of the half to take a 45-30 lead at the half. “It was like night and day for us from yesterday to today,” said senior co-captain Kelby Buck. Goodhue just couldn’t keep up the Falcon’s potent offense in the 2nd half.

Goodhue was lead by Brett Watson with 15 points. Sean Thomforde added 14 and Blayne Erie added 12. Dan McNamara snared 14 rebounds as well. The Cats for the 2nd straight night were plagued by turnovers they had 15. “If we want to be successful this season we need to limit turnovers,” said Thomforde. Despite Faribault’s extreme height advantage they only out-rebounded the Cats by three. Goodhue will travel to Stewartville to open up the conference schedule on Tuesday and will host Winona Cotter on Friday.


by DJ Buck

Superbad???? its SUPERGREAT

This past week the movie "Superbad"finally came out on DVD. Superbad is the funniest movie of the year. It came out in theaters this summer. Its rated R so for all you people under 17 years of age you better get your partents permission to watch this movie.

From the guys who brought you knocked up and 40 year old virgin comes Superbad. Seth(Joinah Hill) and Even(Micheal Cera) want nothing more than to hook up with the girls they like before heading off to college. To do that, though, they need to get liquor for the big party that night. With the help of their friend Fogell aka McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plusse), and his fake I.D. the three of them go on a chase for that elusive booze, dodging incompetent cops. All this while attempting to reverse a liflong losing streak in one hilarious night.

The DVD has all kinds of special features like deleated scene never seen in thearters and behind the scene footage of all your favorite actors in this movie.

When asking other people about the movie I got great responses. "It's the funniest movie I have ever seen in my life." commented Dan. Sean said, "I laughed so hard my eyes watered like I had somthing in both of my eyes." Superbad was rated a 5 star by David Denby,The New York.

There you have it, people love it, so get out there and buy Superbad and enjoy a great movie.

Going Green

You hear so much about the problem with global warming, yet you can't really decided what you as an individual can do. 'Going Green' is alot easier than you may think. There is tons of things we use in our everyday life that actually contributes to things like global warming. Like the amount of energy it takes to keep a fridge cool, or keeping a room lit.

So for starters you can go home and change your light bulbs. Yes, that's right by buying a different light bulbs you are actually helping the world get greener. Back in 1973 these special light bulbs called CFLs were invented after the Middle East oil crisis. These light bulbs need as little as 15 watts to equal the 60 watts a normal incandescent blub needs to brighten a room. On average the CFLs cost around $2.00 (talk about a cheap way to go green) and can burn up to 10,000 hours! The normal incandescent bulb only burns up to 1,000 hours. Those extra 9,000 hours can end up saving you around $200 in five years. The CFLs come in many different designs so they can fit any appliance, and brighten up any home.

Another thing you can do to go greener is to cut back on showers. You really don't need an hour long shower, there is no point. By cutting your shower down to only ten minutes, after five years you could fill over 200 pools. You can also remember to shut the lights off in the room that you are not using. There's no point in leaving on a light for your imaginary friend; all you are doing is just wasting energy that could be used towards things like air conditiong. Which is another thing you can improve on too. By turning down the heat this winter by 5 degrees, you are saving a lot of energy.

So go green and save the planet. You'll be thanking yourself once you get this months electircity or heating bill. All this energy saving can actually help you save MONEY for that vacation that you've always wanted to take.

Bringing Cheer to those in Need.

Yes, once again it is that time of year. There's the lights hung up on the houses and everyone is bringing in the Holiday cheer. You have presents all bought every single sibling, friend, uncle and aunt. The one thing we don't seem to remember around this holiday season though, is that some kids and adults can't celebrate this holiday season with as much cheer as they want to. The best thing around this holiday season I think, is giving. Giving to those in need is something everyone should think about this year. At Goodhue School, Katie Lichtblau is having a toy drive for 'Toys for Tots'. Toys for Tots gives children (most under the age of 13) a toy this holiday season at no cost to them. All you have to do is drop off a toy in Mrs. Lagosh's room. It doesn't have to be super special, or expensive for that matter, it just has to be unused and ready to give to a child. A simple toy could mean the world to a child, who may have gotten nothing.

Besides Toys for Tots, there's also other charities you can donate to this holiday season. Salvatioin Army is also a big one. They don't ask for much, just the spare change in your pocket. All this spare change can add up over time and give money for a family to have a hot meal, toys, or clothing. So the next time your 'jingling' and you hear a 'ringing' drop off that extra change into that little red bucket.

Whether you have a lot of money to give, or a little, it means the world to those in need. You never know if that could be you one day either, for anything can happen. Bringing a smile to a kids face, or hearing the cheer of a family who got the money they needed, just may be the best gift you recieve this holiday season.

Happy Holidays♥

The Fruit is In!!

The fruit is finally here! The FFA Organization’s annual fruit sale process is almost over. The fruit came in today (Tuesday, December 11), FFA members unloaded it from the semi over first and second hour, and the officers have been sorting it throughout the day into piles for each FFA member and any other orders.

FFA members can pick their fruit up for delivery today between 2:30 and 5:00 p.m. Tomorrow it can be picked up from 2:30 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday there are no pickup times, and Friday it can be picked up between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. The members need to be careful with boxes and not break anything, so the customer gets them in good condition. A tub of herring has already been spilled in the school and is currently stinking up an entire hallway. Members should also make sure they let the customer know before delivering the fruit, and should not leave an order “on the step” unless the customer requests it. Fruit shouldn’t be frozen either, if left outside too long, this is a possibility. They also will need to be careful with the butter braids, which came in last week, because if they start to thaw out, they are ruined.

Anybody who ordered fruit from the school newsletter, and wants to pick it up, should contact the school. They can call 651-923-4447, and set up a time to come get it from Mr. Thompson’s shop door. There is plenty of extra fruit, meat, cheese, butter braids, etc. If anyone would like to purchase these extra items, they should call the school (same number listed above) and place an order. They can also place an order by emailing Mr. Thompson at althomp@goodhue.k12.mn.us with their request.

Anyone who ordered fruit, meat, cheese, butter braids, popcorn, or anything else from the order form, should be receiving it within the next few days. If you are concerned about your order, call the school or the FFA member you placed your order with. Thanks for ordering from the Goodhue FFA!

By: Laura Lodermeier

In the super mileage teams they have currently been working the past couple weeks and this is some of the different things that they have been doing.

Micah, Kelby, Eric, and Quin are in team 1. They are moving along with there design, which is looking pretty good, but still have a long ways to go. "We have a good design and good group members we will do pretty good," said Kelby.

Dan, Lucas, Peter, and Kody are in team 2. Well now there design is looking really good which Dan Austin has came up with. This group has already started making some of they parts and have even started welding them together. This team is doing great so far. "I think we will do really good with our design," said Lucas.

Caleb, Ethan, and company are in team 3. This team has a good design; it looks like this car is going to be a good one. The team has not started anything really with their parts, but it looks like they will be soon.

Richard, Bryce, Arron, and Sean are in team 4. Now this team is doing something a little different. They are building the super mileage tank that everyone will get to drive. Steel will be used to build tank rather then aluminum. The design looks pretty basic but a good design.
The teams are seeing some progress, but they would like to see some more so in my next blog I will let you know how the teams are doing.

A Long Journey to School

As many of you have noticed, if you get to school after 8:05 a.m. in the morning, you are stuck walking all the way from the end of the second parking lot into the school. It takes five minutes just to get to your locker from the parking lot because you have to park so far away from the school. A year ago you could get to school at 8:10 and park in the first ten spots in the parking lot. Now you’re stuck parking in the last ten spots. This causes a long cold walk into the school and maybe even a tardy if you are lucky. Mrs. E added, "I have to park at the VERY end by the huge pile of snow... It takes me forever to get inside." Showing up five minutes early doesn’t seem to help the cause either. There are a couple of reasons for this.

One of the reasons why the parking lot is so crammed is because we can’t park on the street anymore. We always used to be able to park along the street until they made an announcement that no one could park on the street anymore, everyone had to park in the parking lot. This lasted maybe a day or two and everybody was parking along the street again and nothing was said until a couple of weeks ago. They put up these dumb little paper signs that said if you park on the street you are going to get towed. If they don’t want anyone to park there, than they should put up real “No Parking” signs instead of some little paper signs we can pull out of the ground. Otherwise we should be able to park on the street like we can anywhere else in Goodhue. This makes less congestion in the parking lot.

The second reason a lot of us end up parking so far away from the school is because people do not know how to park their cars. People simply can’t park there huge SUV or pickup, and they don’t care so they just leave it. Every morning there is at least two or three people who are taking up two parking spots with their pickups. For instance a bright orange pickup takes up at least two parking spots every morning. You took drivers training for a reason, so park your car right. Some people even purposely try to take up two or three parking spots because they think it looks cool and they think they’re a rebel. If we can’t park on the street, then the school should do something about people being morons and purposely trying to take up as many spots as they can. I asked DJ what he thought and he said, “Don’t drive such big pickups if you don’t know how to park them.”

Supermileage Teams

In Principle of Technology one of the classes at Goodhue High school, they are making super mileage cars. Mr. Bestul is the teacher of this class. "The class sounds like it will be a good one this year," said Mr. Bestul. There is a total of 4 teams, in team 1 Micah, Kelby, Eric, and Quin, team 2 Dan, Lucas, Andrew, and Kody, team 3 Caleb, Ethan, Chad, and Peter. team 4 Richard, Bryce, Arron, and Sean. "The car we are making is going to be a little harder then everyone else’s, " said Sean.

The first three teams are making there’s out of aluminum so they don’t weigh that much, but the fourth team is making a different kind of car that everyone in the class will get to drive this on is called the super mileage tank. All the teams make there own designs. The cars are ran by a 3.5 HP engine, which a little gas tank will have the same amount of gas as everyone else to see who’s will get the most mileage per gallon. The class gets to take a trip and compete with are school teams and other school teams to see who will get the most mileage per gallon. This sound’s like it will be a lot of fun. I will be up dating what everyone is doing with the cars on my next blogs to come.

PREP COURSES

I think that for people taking the ACT or SAT we should have some more prep classes to help them be more prepaired for it. Because some of the colleges that people are looking at have a really high ACT or SAT score that is required for you to get in to them and for the pople that did bad on it or just have a hard time on tests, having some more prep classes before they would take it and that could end up helping them in the long run. Like they could end up saving some money instead of having to spend it on retaking the ACT or SAT again. The test will take about four hours to take.

The next test date is on February 9, 2008 and the registration deadline is on January 4, 2008. It costs about 70 bucks to take it. And on the web site they have some free tips to help you and even practice questions for you to take to help you so that you can do better on the test. They tell you some stuff that will help you on the test day like what you should do to help you do your best. You can find out your score online within two to two and a half weeks after the national test date but you hve to pay extra to get it. But if you dont want to pay extra you can wait for four to seven weeks to get it in the mail.

Ice and Snow, Take it Slow!

Winter is already here. Are you prepared to drive in the snow? For many, this is their first winter driving. Do you know what to do in times of trouble?

Before you head out on your trip, you should make sure your car is in perfect working condition. Reliable transportation is especially important in the winter. Make sure that your car is ready for whatever may come your way. Prepare your vehicle for winter by following some of these simple precautions:

• Check your windshield wiper blades to make sure they work properly. In some areas, snow blades are an effective alternative to conventional wiper blades.



• Have your mechanic test the anti-freeze/coolant to provide the correct level of protection required in your driving area.



• Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Underinflation can reduce the gripping action of tires because the tread will not meet the road surface as it was designed to do. Overinflation has the same effect.



• Don’t depend on all-season tires, especially if you live where snow and ice are certainties. Install snow tires on your car. Snow tires are made of softer components and have a unique tread design that provides better traction and road gripping abilities.



• Keep your gas tank at least half-full. The extra volume can help reduce moisture problems within your fuel system. It also adds beneficial weight to your vehicle.
  Extra weight in the trunk of truck bed of your vehicle may be helpful. Use care- unsecured weight can shift while you are driving if you have to stop suddenly. Bags of sand or kitty-litter can provide weight and if sprinkled on the ice, can provide traction.
  
  You should also check your:



• Ignition system



• Brakes



• Exhaust system



• Tire tread



• Defroster



• Oil grade



• Battery



• Lights
• Before you even get into your vehicle, have a plan.



• Plan your trip by selecting both primary and alternative routes.



• Inform someone of your routes. This way, if you don’t arrive on time officials know where to begin searching for you.



• Check the latest weather reports.



• Try not to travel alone. Two or three people are preferable.



• Travel in a convoy, with another vehicle if possible.



• If a storm begins to be too much for you to handle, seek refuge immediately.



• If your car should become disabled, stay with the vehicle, running your engine and heater for short intervals. Be sure to "crack" a window in the vehicle to avoid carbon monoxide build-up.
  
  
  Before you leave your driveway:



• Scrape the ice and snow from every window and the exterior rear view mirrors, not just a small patch on the windshield. Don’t forget to remove snow from your headlights and brake lights.



• Try to remove ice and snow from your shoes before getting into your vehicle. As they melt, they create moisture build-up, causing windows to fog on the inside. You can reduce fogging by turning the air recirculation switch to the OFF position. This brings in drier, fresh air. You can also run your air conditioner which serves as a dehumidifier after a few minutes.



• Wear your passenger safety belts.



• Adjust head rests. Rear end collisions are common in the winter and a properly-adjusted head rest can prevent or reduce neck injuries.
  
  
  Now that you have read over precautions that apply to the safety of your vehicle and the planning of your trip, you should also take the necessary precautions while behind the wheel. Drive for the conditions. Winter conditions call for different driving tactics, slower speed, slower acceleration, slower steering, and slower breaking. Don’t get over confident with four-wheel drive. It won’t help you stop any faster! When driving, follow these precautions:



• Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. Allow at least three times more space than you usually allow between you and the car ahead of you.



• Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.



• Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.



• Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.



• Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.



• Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even if temperatures are above freezing, you might encounter ice in the shady or exposed areas like bridges.



• Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks.
  
  
  Coffee Can Survival Kit... Here's how to make your own:
  2 or 3 pound coffee can (punch 3 holes at the top of can, equal distance apart)
  60-inch length of twine or heavy string (cut into 3 equal pieces - used to suspend can)
  3 large safety pins (tie string to safety pins and pin to car roof interior to suspend can over candle)
  1 candle 2" diameter (place on lid under suspended can for melting snow)
  1 pocket knife, reasonably sharp (or substitute with scissors)
  3 pieces of bright cloth 2" wide x 36" long (tie to antenna or door handle)
  Several packets of soup, hot chocolate, tea, bouillon cubes, etc. (mixed into melted snow to provide warmth and nutrition)
  1 small package of peanuts (provides protein) & fruit-flavored candy (orange slices, jelly beans, etc.-avoid chocolate)
  1 pair of athletic socks (cotton) and 1 pair of glove liners (cotton)
  2 packages of book matches
  1 sun shield blanket or 2 large green or black plastic leaf bags (to reflect body heat)
  1 pen light and batteries (keep separate)
  When complete, place stocking cap over kit and carry in passenger compartment of car. If you have a 3 pound can, you will still have additional room for band-aids, aspirin, small radio, etc. If there is still room left, increase the quantity of any of the above items or improvise items you feel might be necessary.
  
  Remember hypothermia (rapid loss of body temperature) can happen to anyone! Stay in your car until help arrives! An accident or severe weather situation can occur at any time. Your driver must be aware of the effects of cold weather in the event he or she becomes stranded.

Remember: Ice and snow, TAKE IT SLOW!!!

Music troubles?

Have you ever had problems trying to get song to play because it's a m4a (Ipod music file) or maybe a different audio file type? Well after getting sick of some of my songs not working right, I looked for something to help me out and I found it, the Xilisoft Audio Converter 2.1.

As it states right on the website, "Xilisoft Audio Converter provides an easy and completed way to convert MP4 to MP3, M4A to MP3, AAC to MP3, etc, convert audio between popular audio files, such as WAV, WMA, FLAC, OGG, APE, AAC, MP4, MP3, M4A, MP2, VQF etc."

A very useful feature is that you can select the compression method, sample rate, and bitrate when you convert the audio files. This can really help if you have audio files that have a bitrate of 256 or more because an audio file is usually at 128 kbs bitrate and by converting a song that is much higher to 128 it can nearly cut the file size in half, saving you a lot of space on your Ipod or computer.

On the website Click here you can download a free version of the program. One problem with the free version is that is only lets you convert 2 files at a time, so you have to close out and reopen the program, which consumes a little bit of time. It also prompts you with some "Click to Register" windows, but all you have to do to continue using the program is to click cancel, but these are pretty much expected with something that is free. From what I know this program doesn't expire after a certain amount of days, but once again it does only allow 2 conversions per session.

Breakdowns and Predictions Anyone?

After all those crazy upsets and all the toss ups in the rankings, after a year when anything could happen and most of it did, the Bowl Championship Series has rounded up a couple of usual suspects for the Championship Game. The BCS committee had some tough spots to fill in this year and now it’s final. Here are the five important games broke down.

With almost a dozen teams able to make a claim for a shot at the title, the game will be Ohio State (11-1) vs. LSU (11-2) for the national championship. This game will be played in New Orleans on January 7th, 2008. Ohio State earned its spot with a bye. The BCS voters and computers really admired the way the Buckeyes did nothing this week. LSU played its way in by losing to an unranked team at home last week instead of this week. Losing to an unranked team this week would have been bad because I’m pretty sure they would have been out of the championship game. West Virginia, which lost at home this week to Pittsburgh in the conference championship. This lost wasn’t so good because they are out. So for LSU, losing to an unranked team last week wasn’t so bad. Hopefully this year’s national championship game will be better than last years because the Florida Gators ran all over the Buckeyes of Ohio State, winning with a lopsided 41-14 victory.

Prediction: LSU 27, Ohio State 17

Hawaii didn't lose to anybody, ever. The Warriors started the season ranked #23 in the Associated Press poll, went 12-0, and then finished the season ranked #10. They will play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl game on New Year's Night in New Orleans. This is the first time Hawaii has finished the season undefeated and are very excited about the upcoming BCS bowl game. The Warriors had a great quarterback this year in Colt Brennan, who is in the running for the Heisman trophy. He through for over 4,000-yards and 38 touchdowns this year. Georgia comes into the game with an overall record of 10-2. With Hawaii going 12-0, this just shows you that a team in a weaker conference (Western Athletic Conference) isn’t even in the question of playing for national championship, yet they did make it into a BSC game with an at large bid.

Prediction: Hawaii 34, Georgia 28

The Rose Bowl will be played on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California. The USC Trojans won their third consecutive Jan. 1 trip. The (10-2) Southern Cal. team will take on the (9-3) Fighting Illini of Illinois. USC’s quarterback John David Booty will be healthy and ready to lead the Trojan attack. Their defense should also be able to control the shiftiness of junior quarterback Juice Williams who heads that Illini offense. Illinois is the only team to beat Ohio State this year and they ended up second in Big10 play, surprising a lot of people in the conference. All in all it should be a great game to watch.

Prediction: USC 24, Illinois 20

Oklahoma (11-2) will come into the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl off a big win over #1 Missouri and are also playing some of the best football in the country. For the West Virginia, they are coming off a devastating conference championship loss to Pittsburgh that knocked them out of the BCS championship game. The Mountaineers (10-2) still got into a BCS Bowl and will take on the Sooners of Oklahoma. I think this will be one of the better BCS games to watch because both are high powered offensive teams, so we’ll have to see what defense comes to play that day.

Prediction: Oklahoma 28, West Virginia 26

The final BCS bowl game is the Fedex Orange Bowl, which is a match up of the (11-1) Kansas Jayhawks and the (11-2) Hokies of Virginia Tech. Kansas received an at-large bid, while Virginia Tech won the ACC conference championship. Kansas has been an offensive machine this year putting up plenty of points on the board. Jayhawk Todd Reesing has thrown for over 3,200 yards and a total of 32 touchdowns. VT comes into this game with a five game winning streak and they are rolling, beating Boston College most recently 30-16. After an embarrassing loss to LSU in the second game of the season, this is a chance for the ACC champs to redeem themselves on the national stage.

Prediction: West Virginia 24, Kansas 20

After breaking down these five games, I asked my friend Brett Watson what his predictions were and he spitted out “LSU dominates, Hawaii prevails, USC squeaks one out, Oklahoma in a shootout, and Kansas upsets West Virginia.” Either way I think there should be some good games to watch and I hope everyone tunes into thebig college games of the holiday season.

Florida got the glory of winning it all last year,

but who will it be this year? LSU or Ohio State?

Snowmobiling

I have been snowmobiling for a number of years. This is a very fun sport that can be done by all. There are a number of things that one should do to ensure that you are safe and can enjoy the outdoors on your snowmobile.

Snow-friendly clothing is recommended for snowmobiling such as: bibs, jackets, gloves, boots and helmets. Snowmobile dealers offer a full line of clothing that is specifically designed and made to keep you warm. There are also some good websites for clothing.

Carry your cell phone. In some areas reception may not be good but better safe than sorry. Two way radios can come in handy. I had one guy go off the road and we were able to find him by getting him on the radio. Cell phones would not work for this. Most snowmobile's have a little pouch on the back of the seat. I would carry a solar blanket, water, snacks, lighter, and some other things. Tell someone where you are going even if you are in a group. If plans change, call the person and let them know. Carry maps of the area. In a group it is important to stop once in awhile to make sure everyone is accounted for and doing okay.

Check to see if you need to purchase a sticker for using the trails. I know coming from Minnesota if you are in Wisconsin you need what is called a "green sticker". If you don't have one you can be cited and even told that you cannot access the trails. Snowmobiles must be registered in the state you reside in. You can check with you Motor Vehicle department for the particulars.

If you have never been on a snowmobile try it with a family member or a friend.
If purchasing a snowmobile go to an authorized dealer in your area. Beginners will need something with less horsepower . Some models can seat two people. There are many out there so check it out.

Check out the weather. Weather.com or another good site is intellicast.com before heading out.
There are many great places to snowmobile. so go out and have yourself some fun and mabey pick up a new hobbie.

AP, Concurrent, or CLEP?

Students at Goodhue High School are fortunate enough to have access to many college prep courses. These classes provide students with the opportunity to earn college credit without leaving the building. Goodhue offers three different ways to earn college credit: AP test, concurrent classes, and CLEP tests. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Concurrent Classes are the most popular way to earn college credit at Goodhue. A concurrent class is basically a college course taught by a high school teacher. If a student taking the class passes with a C or better, that student will recieve both high school and college credit. The instructors receive guidelines on how to teach the class from the college, making sure that the class is a great deal tougher than the average high school class. The concurrent courses at Goodhue are offered through the College in the High Schools program at the University of Minnesota - Crookston. Those courses are english composition, english literature, algebra, and physics.
AP tests are another way to earn college credit. Students usually take an advanced placement course to prepare themselves for the test. However, just passing the course with a high grade is not enough to receive college credit. After the students complete the course, there is a single high-stakes test that measures their knowledge of the subject. The tests are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. A score of 3 is usually enough to earn college credit from most colleges. Goodhue currently offers four AP classes: American History, Calculus, Psychology, and Physics.
CLEP tests are least popular type of college class. In fact, students don't even need to take a special prep class to take a CLEP test. If a student feels like he or she has taken advanced classes in a specific subject and is very comfortable with that subject, that student can take a CLEP test. With a passing grade on the CLEP exam, the student would earn college credit. This is very similar to an AP test, except the exams are pass/fail, not graded 1-5.
Each of the three ways to earn college credit has it's own advantages and disadvantages. But, all three offer students the chance to earn that credit for free. Taking these classes can save you thousands of dollars in college expenses. I encourage everyone with a strong academic record to take these rigorous courses.

First Snow on Town Holiday

The Goodhue community hosted the annual town Christmas on December 1st from 9am till 1pm. It is a celebration that has been going for many years. The celebration brings in people from all over the area. Some of the extraordinary things about this year is that it was held at the Lion's Building instead for the Fire hall because there was not as many tables full of crafts and that it was the first snow of the year, which made the day magical.
As Miss Goodhue I had the privilege of taking part in the celebration. My royalty and I met at Ryan’s car wash. We then were escorted by Herman and his horses, through the cold wind and the first snow of the season, around downtown and then back to the Lion’s Building where most of the festivities were to take place. When we arrived there were people all over inside trying to keep warm despite the weather.When asked "how was the ride",Olivia Responded "COLD".
Our duties as Miss Goodhue Royalty were to take pictures of all the kids as they had a chance to sit on Santa’s lap. Many children didn’t know exactly what to think of Santa, a few cried ,some would only stand next to him but most loved him and were happy to share with him everything they wanted for Christmas.
After we were done taking pictures we got the opportunity to walk around the lions building and check out all the homemade crafts, goodies and sign up for the many drawings hoping to win a prize. Some of the many stands there included Mary Kay cosmetics, The National Honor Society with the scholarship wreaths and Holy Trinity Catholic Church bake goods. Not only were there things going on in the Lion’s Building many of the area businesses had snacks and raffles to sign up for.
Despite the weather many people made the journey to town to enjoy the community holiday. I enjoyed being a part of this community festival and am looking forward to it again next year.

Goodhue Wrestling 07-08

Footballs done now, and its time to move onto Winter Sports for Goodhue High School grapplers. So I am going to give you a preview of what the Wildcats line up will probably look like this season:
Goodhue has a great team coming back from last year, they've only lost 2 guys from last years team and have the guys to replace them this year. However the Cats do not have much depth in there lineup, so if someone goes down with an injury it could really hurt there chances of making it to State. Right now there are a few guys who aren't quite down to the weight the'll be at for the year but expect them to be there after christmas. When that time comes Goodhue will have a really good chance to win the HVL Conference in their first year in it and possibly win the Section and go to state up at the Xcel Energy Center in March. Hope you can make it out to a few of there matches this year.
The lineup should look like this after Christmas:

Weight-Name-Grade
103-Charlie Dicke 9th
112-Codey Lexvold 11th
119-Ty Stecklin 9th
125-Caleb Diercks 12th
130-Brady Bigalk 10th
135-Zach Schneider 9th
140-Brady Ferguson 11th
145 Ethan Tutewohl 11th
152-Chad Meyer 12th
160-Micah Huneke 12th
171-Lucas Albers 12th
189-Eric Ryan 12th
215-Luke O'Reilly 11th
HWT-Tyler Stehr 12th

BCS National Championship

Do you know whos in the BCS National Championship??? No? Well your not alone, not many people do this year due to the lack of a really great team in college this year. In the past many years there has always been a team or two that sticks out above the rest and a team that you just know is going to be in the National Championship, but this year, this year is different. People don't even know who is in the title game let alone know who should be in it. The experts got together on Sunday night and chose the two teams that would be playing in the Championship of college football. They decided that LSU whos record is 11-2 on the year would join the only one loss team that remained at 11-1 in the grand daddy of college football.
Ohio State had already been pretty well placed in the title game by most voters because of there just 1 loss which came to Illinois 28-21 just three weeks ago.
LSU however had 2 losses on the year which both came in triple overtime games to Kentucky and to Arkansas in there SEC Conference Championship just two weeks ago.
Overall everyone thinks the voters got it right by choosing LSU to play with Ohio State for the title in New Orleans on January 7th. Not as many people are excited for some of the games as they have been in the past, this is a cohesive with there not being a team that is really sticking out and have been favored in every game this year.
With that I will predict that LSU comes out on top on this one I'd say about 35-27 in a tight one.