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Students on the VP pick

Three weeks have already gone by since Sen. John McCain shocked the world with his announcement of Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential nominee. It's still impossible to go a day without hearing Palin's name mentioned at the dinner table, participating in a debate in class or spotting a McCain/Palin bumper sticker on the car in front of you.

Whether you're pro-Palin or not, you've got to admit, it's pretty incredible that Alaska has become a sudden media hot spot. This week, Perfect World asked local teens to speak out about Palin, positively or otherwise. Here are the responses.

"If I hadn't been listening to NPR when I heard, I would have thought it was a joke." -- Sarah Poggi, senior at Eagle River

"She can help spotlight Alaska's potential that previously went unnoticed." -- Adam Neal, senior at Eagle River

"I think she wears too much lipstick." -- Jillian Chamberlin, junior at West

"When she was running for governor I respected her because she didn't say anything bad about opponents. At the Republican convention, she bad-mouthed Obama, and I lost some of my respect for her." -- Sara Falconer, freshman at Dimond

"I definitely don't think she's the right choice. John McCain shot himself in the foot by choosing her. He's trying to get the women's vote, but he's gone about it the wrong way by choosing the most anti-feminist woman ever. Sarah Palin definitely isn't qualified to be the president and isn't even qualified to be the vice president." -- Rachel Sather, senior at West

"If McCain was really going for the woman aspect, he should have picked Kay Bailey Hutchinson. The only thing Palin offers that she doesn't is brown hair." -- Sarah Martinson, senior at Eagle River

"I'm pleased that a woman is running, but it seems that the only reason she was picked is to rival the momentum of change from Obama's campaign." -- Maggie Hepler, senior at Eagle River

"People say she hasn't had experience, but she has been in an executive position like governor and mayor, so she has that type of experience to help McCain." -- Emily Klopfer, sophomore at Dimond

"I think she was picked for strategy more so than for her accomplishments." -- John Bailey, senior at Eagle River

"It's great for Alaska and the Republicans but perhaps not the best thing for the country." -- Greg Hall, senior at Eagle River

"I think it was a good decision because she was elected governor of Alaska, so she apparently knows what she's doing." -- Sam Bullock, senior at Eagle River

"Part of me thinks that one of the most rewarding things to come out of this will be seeing Tina Fey dress up as Sarah Palin. She doesn't seem prepared. Especially compared to Joe Biden, I think she'll be torn apart. He's very blunt and straightforward, and while Sarah's blunt too, she's very different. I think she has a lot going for her, but she's still very new in the game." -- Nicole Chamberlin, senior at West

QUE PASA

'Clean House': love, loss

What: "The Clean House" is an award-winning play by Sarah Ruhl. It is a surrealist comedy that portrays love, loss and the power of a good joke in an intimate, staged setting.

When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday

Where: Cyrano's Off Center Playhouse, 413 D St.

For more information, visit www.cyranos.org.

Space Spot on astronomy

What: The Space Spot is a traveling exhibition designed to bring basic astronomy and space science to communities that do not have easy access to a science center and to reach people who might not be inclined to visit such a facility. The Space Spot offers an inviting, visually exciting, educational, hands-on experience in a nonthreatening environment.

Where: The Imaginarium, 737 W. Fifth Ave.

When: noon to 5 p.m. Sunday

For information, visit www.imaginarium.org.

-- LINDSEY LEONARD