1. The Locker
The Wellesley Middle School Newspaper Summer 2011
th
The End of An Era: Bin Laden is Dead Sunday, May 15 , 2011
After Death of Bin Laden, What is Next for al-Qaeda?
Future of al-Qaeda is Uncertain After Death of Bin Laden
NEWS By Matthew & Keenan
COMICS
On May 1st, 2011, at 11:40 PM EST, US Navy SEALs killed worldwide terrorist leader Osama
STORIES bin Laden. They raided his compound in Abbottobad, Pakistan based off US and Pakistani
EDITORIALS intelligence information. Bin Laden had been tracked there by ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence,
Pakistan) and CIA (Central Intelligence Agency, US) operatives using information obtained at
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Bin Laden’s death marked the end of a ten year international manhunt. Now that the terror
leader is dead, it is unclear what the future will hold for al-Qaeda and the rest of the world’s war
on terror.
Editors: Operation Neptune Spear
Bill Under interrogation in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, a terrorist involved
Noor in the 9/11 attacks and the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl, revealed the name of a key courier
Melanie working for Osama bin Laden in 2007. Two years later, the CIA learned his location and began
Stephanie tracking him. Over the next year, they learned that Bin Laden was most likely hiding in a
compound in the city of Abbottobad, Pakistan, with a population of over 90,000. This location,
just north of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, was contrary to many experts’ beliefs that he
Assistant Editors:
was hiding in the caves of the northwest border of Afghanistan.
Molly
Athenee Beginning in August of 2010, the CIA, with the assistance of the ISI, began to perform
Abby surveillance missions on the compound of interest. The compound, an acre wide with 18 foot
walls, was over five times the size of nearby homes, and close to a highway, however it had no
Faculty Advisor: phones. It did, however, have multiple computers, which were later discovered to be the
Lynne Johnson computers Bin Laden used to record messages and commands to his flashdrive, which he then
gave to the courier of interest, who relayed them to al-Qaeda operatives around the world.
President Barack Obama gave the order for Operation Neptune Spear to commence, in which he
sent two dozen Navy SEALs with CIA operatives into the city of Abbottobad and to bin
Laden’s compound. As a result of the firefight that ensued, Bin Laden and three of his sons
were killed, all armed with automatic weapons. No US operatives were injured during the raid.
Bin Laden was reported to have used women nearby as cover during the firefight. Computers
were found inside the compound, with their hard drives torn out. The location of these hard
drives, and their content, is unknown.
Pakistani Intelligence Doubts
The US said that they did not inform Pakistan about Operation Neptune Spear because of the
risk of the operation being compromised due to corrupt government officials. There have been
continuous doubts regarding the integrity of Pakistan’s government and intelligence agency, ISI.
Continued on page 2...
2. The End of An Era: Bin Laden is Dead continued
from cover story…
Currently, an investigation is being conducted into how
Bin Laden was able to live undetected for possibly six
to the WMS Class of 2011
years in a highly populated city so close to the capital of May all your dreams come true…
Pakistan, Islamabad, and Pakistan’s military training Good Luck!
center in Abbottabad. The compound was at least five
times the size of any house in the area, and had a tall
perimeter fence as well as opaque windows.
Due to the relatively obvious and conspicuous location
of the compound, questions have arisen as to whether or
not there is corruption in the Pakistani government, or
the ISI is simply ineffective.
National Celebrations
As soon as it was announced that Bin Laden had been
killed, thousands of Americans lined the streets of New
York City and Washington D.C., waving American flags
and celebrating. The lawn of the White House was
crowded with people, cheering as they finally received
closure for the loved ones they had lost ten years ago. In
Boston, BU students gathered at Boston Common to
celebrate.
For some, the death of Bin Laden was looked at as a step
in the right direction, but not a significant change.
Despite the closure many have received, some still
believe that the war on terror has not ended, and the
death toll of terror will continue to rise.
Al-Qaeda Going Forward
Now that Bin Laden is dead, the most likely successor to
be leader of al-Qaeda appears to be Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Zawahiri has been bin Laden’s close associate since their
pre-9/11 plots to kill Americans through terror attacks,
based in Saudi Arabia and Sudan. However, Zawahiri is
not the ideal leader for al-Qaeda. Despite having deep
motivational beliefs, he is known to be unpleasant and is
not well-liked within al-Qaeda. He lacks the natural
leadership and appeal Bin Laden had possessed.
Zawahiri is also known to be less careful than Bin Across
Laden, has nearly been killed several times. 1. large star that heats the world
3. holiday with fireworks
Counter-terror experts say that this change could result 4. getting together and grilling food
in a significant weakening of al-Qaeda. Despite the 5. season without school
apparent lack of leadership within the al-Qaeda central 8. trip to a different place
command, related groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Down
Peninsula are threatening even more terror attacks than 1. necessary to avoid burns
have taken place previously. They said, “America will 2. water that separates continents
long for the time of Bin Laden.” 5. fun place to spend a month
6. sandy seashore
Online News Sources: CNN, CBS, NBC, TIME, ABC, and 7. temperature of weather
the Department of Defense.
3. “Oh, no!” Daisy yelled. She reached for the woman’s arm. Daisy
could see her ankle had been twisted. The rain roared in Daisy’s ears
and lightning flashed through the sky. Daisy reached for the woman’s
arm and cried, “Lean on me! I’ll take you home!”
The woman shook her head. “Get help! You’re too weak! Don’t hurt
At H ollis Ma nsion (Part 4) yourself.” But, Daisy didn’t hear. She pulled the blanket from around
herself and wrapped the woman in it. The rain soaked Daisy to her
By Noor skin but she couldn’t care.
Daisy heaved the woman until she could stand on one leg. Daisy
It was the third night of constant pounding rain, flashing lightning, supported the woman who was already blacking out from the pain of
and roaring thunder. Daisy was positive that no human being could her ankle. Daisy grabbed the woman and began to hobble towards the
ever sleep through such racket. Daisy rolled over in her bed for the front door. The rain blinded Daisy and it was nearly pitch black
seventh time. She looked over at her digital clock. 10:37. except for occasional bursts of lightning.
Almost there, almost there… Daisy thought, breathlessly. The woman
CRACK! looked thin and delicate but it was hard to carry her and the heavy
Daisy bolted upright. The crack sounded like it had come from a tree. blanket. Daisy’s knees began to give out and just when she thought
There was one tree that was quite close to her bedroom window and she would collapse, the door appeared seven feet away from her.
Daisy was positive she would die if that tree fell on the house. Daisy Daisy took a deep breath and staggered toward the door. She shoved
threw off the covers and ran to the window. She could see nothing it open and collapsed on the wooden floor. Rain began to puddle on
from the sheets of rain that were pelting the muddy ground around the hallway floor.
Hollis Mansion.
A blinding streak of lightning lit up the grounds of Hollis Mansion “Mom!” Daisy yelled, weakly. “Dad! Help…”
for a split second. Daisy was shocked to see a huddled figure, The woman’s eyes were shut tightly from the pain of her ankle. Daisy
crouched beside the wall of the mansion. It looked oddly like Daisy’s laid her gently on the floor and closed the door. She locked it and
mother, with long brown, curly hair. Daisy could not believe her looked at the mess she had made. Despite all her pain, the woman
eyes. Who would be out in a storm like this? What was her mother had managed to hold onto her gardening tools and the blanket. Daisy
doing? held her flashlight. She flicked on the hall light just as her mother
appeared at the top of the steps. She thundered down the stairs and
Daisy waited for another bright flash of lightning but she only heard ran to Daisy.
thunder. “Daisy, what on earth is the matter? And who is this lady?” she
Daisy decided she had to save her mom. She threw her blanket asked, gaping at the woman lying on their hallway floor.
around herself, grabbed a flashlight and ran down the hallway. She In a rush Daisy explained everything that had happened. In the midst
thundered down the stairs and opened the big, heavy wooden doors of the explanation, Mr. Brick appeared too. He was stony and silent
that led to the garden. when Daisy admitted she had run outside in a violent thunderstorm.
Now that it was over, Daisy began to sob about how scared she had
Immediately she was drenched by showers of rain. Daisy splashed been. Mrs. Brick splashed cold water on the old woman’s face and
through the muddy water. The lightning blazed and thunder shook the helped her sit up. Mr. Brick began to bandage her ankle and apply an
trees. All Daisy’s mind could think was I have to save Mom! I have ice pack. While they were doing this, Daisy sat in a kitchen chair and
to! Daisy heart pounded as she neared the figure. watched.
“MOM!” she yelled through the rumbling thunder. “MOM! Come Finally, the old woman was able to speak. “I … I thank you … so, so
back! Mom!” much, young lady… I … I’m old and—” The woman stopped and
The figure did not respond. It appeared to be planting flowers. But, in accepted a glass of water from Mrs. Brick. “I… I was worried about
the pouring rain? Daisy couldn’t believe it. my plants and…”
She dashed closer. “MOM! Stop! Forget the flowers! Come inside!”
“Whoa! Who is she?”
Daisy ran closer and closer to the figure. The rain blinded her and she A voice came from the top of the stairs. It was Nathan. He ran down
could barely see. The blanket was soaked. Daisy ran to her mother the stairs and hid behind his father as he peered at the worn, white-
and tugged at her collar. “Come back inside, Mom! You’re soaked!” haired, mud-soaked elderly lady sitting in a chair.
The hooded figure looked up. Daisy gasped. It was not her mother. It Mrs. Brick was cleaning up the mud mess by the front door when
was an entirely different lady. Daisy began to introduce and explain about her family. “We are
Oh my goodness! What did you DO, Daisy!? Who were you kidding? staying her for the summer. We came here on—”
What are you doing in a storm like this? Daisy thought, wildly. She “Oh, I know,” the lady interrupted. “I saw you come. Every day I saw
turned around to run, but she couldn’t help staring at the woman’s you. You’re Daisy,” she pointed, “and you’re Nathan.”
eyes. She looked familiar… She was a lady from one of the portraits Mrs. Brick stopped wiping up the mess and stood up, sharply. “How
in the house! Her beady eyes, her small nose! Daisy recognized her do you know this?”
immediately from a picture that hung in the living room. “I live here,” the lady said. “I’ve lived here ever since my father died
and my mother inherited this mansion.”
The woman got up. “My, you’re wet, dear. And why are you “Wait a second,” Nathan said, thoughtfully. “Are you Eleanor Taylor
screaming for your mother?” Stone?”
Daisy gulped and turned around, but the woman grabbed her by her “I am,” the woman agreed. “And how do you know, young man?”
shoulders. Nathan grinned. “We read your diary.”
“Ohhhh, that’s right! I was in the attic, looking for my mother’s old
“I need to get home!” Daisy yelled. “I need to … I need to—” hoe when you two came charging up. You opened up my old box full
The woman knelt and picked up her gardening tools calmly. Now of things from my room, an’ you opened my diary and quilt and what
Daisy could tell that she was covering them in a sheet of plastic so a ruckus it was!”
they wouldn’t be harmed by the violent storm. Just as she was getting “Oh, I’m sorry … Mrs. Stone,” Daisy mumbled, embarrassed. “I had
up, the woman slipped and fell back. Her wrinkled face was no idea you were still alive! We, uh, wouldn’t have opened that if—”
contorted with pain. “It’s all right,” Mrs. Stone smiled. “I forgive you.”
4. “You guys ready?” Zack asked. Zack was eighteen and was exactly
“Just where have you been living?” Mr. Brick asked, suspiciously. four years older than me since we had the same birthday. Bruno was
“In this house?” a year younger.
“Oh, no, sir!” Mrs. Stone seemed to have gathered her strength after a “Ecstatic,” Aaron yawned, too tired to say or do anything as usual.
tall glass of water. “I have my own place out back. I have a garden Bruno rolled his eyes at him.
and a nice shed with a bed and a stove.” “I’m glad you guys have some humor right now,” Coach grumbled as
“But, why?” Mrs. Brick asked, curiously. “Why not live here?” he walked over. “You better get serious during the game. These are
the finals. Play hard and play well.”
Mrs. Stone was quiet for a moment. Mr. Brick went to the kitchen
and brought back steaming bowls of soup for everyone. We all waited for some encouraging words but none came.
Finally, Mrs. Stone said, “I had no money. My son wanted me to live “What are you waiting for? Get out there and shake hands with the
with his family but I didn’t want to leave the house. So I decided I’d other team!” Coach shooed us off the sidelines and into the court.
live out back and rent out the mansion. I could keep an eye on it and We walked by the net shaking hands with the other court. One guy
get my money.” crushed my hand and waited to see me wince. I just smiled and
“But the travel agency said no one had been in here for fifteen crushed his until his eyes flickered.
years!” Daisy protested. “That was a lie!”
“No, not really,” Mrs. Stone responded, cleverly. “They said no By the end of the first round, our scores were tied. During our break,
family had lived there. It had just been me. I do not consider myself a Coach called us over.
‘family.’ I’m just one person.” “Okay, team. You’re doing well out there. Keep it up. Uh…
“Where you the one who kept sneaking into our house?” Nathan Starling… did you grow a long strand of hair or something?” My
asked, curiously. eyes widened and I touched the back of my neck. A long lock of
“I was not sneaking,” Mrs. Stone said, a bit sharply. She rubbed her brown hair had snuck out. Coach, Bruno, and Zack came to a
ankle and winced in pain. “Before you moved in, I had brought my realization. Jordan’s, Aaron’s, and Craig’s eyes grew frantic.
most treasured possessions to my cabin so you would not find them.
But I had forgotten one: a letter from my father to me before he had “Star?” Coach’s eyes widened. I winced as Zack found the clip and
passed away. It was something very important and I did not want released my wig. The hair net under the wig had ripped so my hair
anyone to throw it out.” spilled over my shoulders. I tried to maintain my guy voice.
“Oh, I would never!” Mrs. Brick cried. “Uh… It’s not what you think, Coach-”
“Don’t ‘Coach’ me! You… You lied! You pretended you were a
Mr. Brick looked at the clock. “Oh, wow! It’s nearly midnight. I boy!”
think we should all turn in now. Mrs. Stone, we would not mind at all “Y-You wouldn’t let me on the team! I needed to do something,
if you spent the night here. It’s still storming outside and it wouldn’t anything!” I shot back. Coach’s face turned red.
do to hurt your ankle again.” “Get out of here, and never come back.”
“Why, thank you,” Mrs. Stone smiled gratefully. “I can’t, Coach! You guys need me!” I shouted.
Everyone got up and began to collect their dirty plates. Just as Daisy “We don’t need a g—”
was gathering Mrs. Stone’s dish she heard from upstairs: “Yes we do, Coach. She got us up here, and she’s going to keep us up
Creeeeee-aaaaak. Creeek. here. Let her play,” Zack said. Everyone else agreed.
Everyone had heard it, even Mrs. Stone. “It’s against the rules, she could get us disqualified!”
Mrs. Brick looked at Mrs. Stone expectantly. “Do you know of any “She could. But having only five players will definitely get
other hideaways living in this house?” disqualified,” Craig countered. Couch was at a lost for words.
THE END “The team needs her,” Jordan whispered. Everyone, even Coach
knew that.
Hit it (Part 4) “Get your wig back on, Star. If we lose, it’s on your conscience.”
Coach got up and walked away. Craig put his arm around me as I let
By Melanie the guilt grab onto my head. Bruno handed me my wig back and Zack
gave me five rubber bands from the information desk. I smiled and
Finals, I thought. I couldn’t believe our team had made it to the put the wig back on.
volleyball tournament finals.
“You ready, Star? Or should I say, Starling?” Point. Point. Point.
Craig, my best friend, handed me my blond-spiky wig. In order to
play volleyball on the guys’ team, I had to pretend I was a guy, hence Craig and I served the winning blow.
the name Starling.
I smiled and took the wig from him. I clipped it on top of my hairnet. Jac k in t he Box (Part 4)
“Let’s do really well tonight!” Jordan exclaimed. Jordan and Aaron, By Amanda
my other two best friends, stood behind Craig. They were already in
their volleyball uniforms.
I nodded, silently agreeing with them. The two other people on the Day 121 in The Box:
team were already upstairs with Coach Ned. I shut my locker and Listen carefully...
walked with my best friends upstairs to the court.
We met up with Bruno and Zack upstairs. Bruno and Zack had been Part 3 Summary:
playing much longer than us and were indeed, much better than us as Jan’s dad catches Jan befriending Jack, a female fairy. She was
well. going to be terminated, but Jan protest. Ultimately for aggravating
his dad, Jack is shut into a more torturous box.
5. It’s been one hundred days since I last saw Jan. One hundred days of
pure torture. Stuck in another dank and dirty box, I barely can take Haunted? (Part 4)
the waiting. A disgusting salted rag covers my mouth. Salt is By Margaret
poisonous for fairies, but in small doses, it just weakens them. I can
feel the bristles of the unyielding fabric on my tongue and feel the When we last left our heroines, they were trapped in the
cold droplets of liquid hanging on the tips of my eyelashes that seals school overnight. Finally, morning is coming, and they see
shut my eyes. I cannot see or speak. All I can do is listen.
the first teacher. Then Maggie notices something different.
Eager to hear her theory, the girls cluster around her. They are
An annoying tapping sound has been going on for hours. Tap,
taptaptap, tap, tap. Who is out there? I’m in enough torture already.
tired, and their patience is thin, so they are eager to hear a
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, taptaptap. I doze between the annoying possible solution...
sounds that never subside. Finally, it comes to me. The sound is
running a rhythmic pattern. Of course! Morse code! On alert, my ears "Well? What is it?" Lottie asked.
twitch. Tap, taptaptap, tap, tap. Listen... taptaptap, taptaptap, "Look at her! She's ...smiling!" Said Maggie.
taptaptap, taptaptap. Listen to...taptaptap, taptaptap, tap. Listen to
me! It must be Jan! More follows. The tapping continues. I answer They whipped their heads around the corner to peer at the
with my own. Jan tells me how to get rid of the rag and liquid. My teacher. She was smiling as if someone had just told her a
senses return with pleasure. We create a plan... wonderful joke. She passed by them and headed down the
stairs.
“Do you think she’s dead?” asked Jan. “I mean, she’s been living in
there with no food for since forever!” "Let's follow her!!" said Diana, full of never-ending energy and
enthusiasm as always. They groaned, tired, but started off.
My mouth turns slightly upward. It’s working! They crept down the hallway, just in time to see her go into
the main office.
“Nah- never. She’s too strong,” answers a Them. I deflate.
“Oh, really? Do want to make a bet on that?” asked Jan.
There was a quiet rush to the tiny window in the door. They
“Well that would mean that we would have to open her box.” saw her talking to more of the staff, all of them laughing their
“So be it,” answers Jan. heads off.
The Man sighs, but agrees. He can’t refuse a challenge. Just then, Maggie sneezed. Everyone gasped and ducked, but
They approach my box. I quickly curl up into a feeble ball, feigning they were too late. One of the teachers was walking to the
dead. Creeeaaak, goes the door. Through my half-closed lids, I see door.
Jan and Him peeking their heads through. I wait for Him to step
inside. "What do we do?"Polly hissed.
"Don't talk to them!"Emmy hissed back.
“Wow, she is dead.” The Man eyes my “dead” body.
“Great! Now, I’ll just-” His foot steps through the door. That’s all it The teacher stuck her head out the door.
takes. I lunge- grabbing him and pinning him down on the floor. Jan "Happy Joke Week! This is the farthest it's ever gone. Yes, we
appears and with a screwdriver in hand, he disables Him. certainly have never had students overnight before. Good job
Unfortunately, I overlooked a detail- an alarm. It rings like an echo in
keeping at it, girls- no one else had been this brave!" she said,
a cave. Dang, I have to leave now, I thought.
her eyes twinkling. Chuckling, she shut the door and walked
“Come on, Jan! Let’s go!” away.
“Um, actually Jack, you can go without me.” His brown eyes look "Joke Week?"Ellie said scornfully." We spent the night
sad, but determined. running around the school for Joke Week!?"
"But wait!!" Diana said, a smile starting to spread over her
“What? Why?!” I ask in panic. face."Today's only Thursday, right? So it still is Joke Week!"
"Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Mia said.
“It’s just that if I leave with you, my Dad will come after both of us.
We’ll always be on the run and I know you won’t like that.” They grinned, and ran down the hall laughing.
“I’ll always be running either way, you know.” Diana took charge. Maggie ran to her locker to get the sheet
she had used as a toga in her Greek play. Mia grabbed her
“Well...ok, it’s also because He’s my Dad. No matter how much I phone. Lottie, Lulu, and Janie, spread out the sheet and
hate what He did to you, He’s still my family. I can’t leave him.” It attacked it with black markers. Ellie and Julia got the mop
takes me a couple of seconds before I realize he’s really serious.
from the janitors closet, and Emmy, Elise, and Polly got the
flashlights. What they did with all this, we can only begin to
“Fine. Good bye Jan. Maybe I’ll see you in the future.”
“Maybe,” he whispers. “Good bye, Jack.” guess.
I turn away from him and spread my deep magenta fey wings. One
stroke brings me to the foot of the door. Two, and I’m out. Three, and
the sky surrounds me. Free forever.
8. Wellesley Middle School is also doing this to save
money, as everyone seems to be doing these days.
Surprisingly enough, this was a rather big event since it
was in the Wellesley Townsman. Hit the web, and it’ll
be likely people will be questioning it, and then people
E‐Books vs. Books start to not care anymore. Life isn’t actually changing.
It’s that people will eventually forget about things and
By Cameron
go back to bouncing hot dogs off the floor (if the hot
dogs are still bouncy, of course.) The reasons, I’ve
Millions of electronic books have been sold since they heard, for closing the snack bars so much lately are that
first came out. The Kindle, the Nook, and others are very maybe the employees just can’t get to work with all the
popular. The question is: Is it worth it? stress, or that they don’t have enough people to work
there. Another reason could be that they are doing extra
Regular books have been around forever, starting with work. Bella T. Wong (Superintendent and school
Egyptian hieroglyphics. They have their good points committee chairman) isn’t exactly all that excited about
against their modern cousin. The paper, for one thing, giving lots of information on the subject. For now, we
feels nice. The E-book is cold and hard, and breaks will just have to wait and see just what will happen.
easily. Secondly, in a regular book, you can dog ear
pages, or open randomly and start reading (One of my
favorite things to do). And, since it’s harder to publish
them, only books that are good get published. With a
Kindle, anything is available. Plus, no electricity means
no charging, and no running out of power on your
twelve-hour flight. E-books can be taken advantage of. I
know some people, when they are supposed to be
reading, actually are playing chess. No one will ever
know!
E-books, however, have their merits too. For one, they
don’t use paper, saving a lot of trees. Plus, there are so
many books, right there, wherever you are. The thin E-
book is stored easily, ready to go anywhere. And while
over a hundred dollars is considered a good price for an
E-book, the books cost very little! Regular books can
cost $12, but it’s only $1.50 on a Nook.
Looking at the facts listed above, I think old-fashioned
books are better than their modernized relatives.
School Lunch
By Bekki
Do you bring lunch? Do you buy it? Are you dieting?
The school, of course, has a lunch vendor, but now
they’re looking for a different one. They sent out five
requests and three responded by the deadline. Why? It’s
partially for better food. The school wants to have better
service, better quality food, and more of a variety.
