Graham’s summer beauty tips
With the end of the school year approaching fast, excitement is part of the atmosphere; everyone is ready for summer nights, lazy days and endless amounts of free time. Some of us are even planning vacations to Florida, and other popular destination spots. I don’t know about you guys, but when I’m faced with the prospect of leaving home for a long period of time, there is one problem that I always seem to have; what do I pack?
For a beachy, tropical place like Florida, there are a few essentials that every girl should always have on hand:
- Sunscreen, preferably something with an SPF of 15 or higher. If you have fair skin, the higher the SPF the better.
- Sunglasses are definitely a must for summer, but how do you choose the right pair? Based on your face shape, here is a list of options that should be right for you:
Heart shaped face: Sunglasses that draw attention downwards also add width to the lower part of your face. Larger styles work well for this, such as Ray-Bans or aviators. Avoid anything that sits high and wide.
Square shaped face: Oval or round frames work well at softening the strong features of your face, such as high cheekbones and a strong, prominent jaw.
Round Face Shape: For round faces, the goal should be to elongate the face and make it look thinner. Look for angular frames that add extra length and have upswept frames.
Oval Face Shape: Those with oval face shapes are the lucky ones; because they tend to have rather balanced proportions, they can pull off pretty much any style with ease.
- Perfume is a definite must for summer time, but try to find something with a tropical, light scent. Floral scents tend to be sweeter, and therefore better for winter. Scents that are more fruity will be great for the summer months.
- Who wants to put on their full face of makeup? Let’s face it; it is the summer, we have nobody to impress, and this is the time to be lazy. So, instead of reaching for your heavy, thick foundation, go for the BB cream. This product acts as a moisturizer and foundation all in one, perfecting and protecting your face all at the same time. It is light, easy, and great for the summer time.
- Last, but not least, one of the most important things to bring with you on your trip is a curling iron. When going to the beach, many girls may opt for the pony tail or messy bun, but I prefer to dress it up a little with a quick, easy and beachy style that doesn’t look overdone, but still has some texture; the beachy wave. To create this look, take a ¾ inch barrel curling iron and wrap the hair around it loosely without using the clamp, and hold it in place for about five to eight seconds. Do this in small or large sections, depending on the size of waves you want, all the way around your head. Once you’ve done this, bend over and play with your hair, separating them into loose and natural looking waves. If your hair has a hard time holding curls normally, then you may want to spray it lightly with a loose-hold hairspray, but otherwise you can just leave the waves as they are.
Blog by Alyson Graham
Walker’s book review: Catching Fire
The book, Catching Fire, is written by Suzanne Collins and is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. It still follows the story of Katniss and Peeta, but it is the aftermath of the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta are now living in the Victors Village (where Hunger Games victors live) and are begging to go on their victory tour. While on it, they learn that there is a possible rebellion that could take place within the country against the main city, The Capital. Katniss and Peeta’s town gets new leaders and becomes stricter because of this rebellion. A few weeks later, Katniss and her family watch to see what kind of games will occur this year, since this is the 75th games and they do some twist on the games every 25 years. Katniss then realizes that a big change is about to happen in her life.
I absolutely loved this book. It continued the story of the first book so well. Since the first book was all about the games and Katniss’ and Peeta’s journey to the games, I did not know how the author was going to interrupt that into the second book, but she did it so well. I also liked how she exposed the truth behind The Capital and their main concern in the second book.
One of the things that I did not like about this book was that its beginning kind of dragged on. When you read a book and are excepting excitement and action, and the begging is just about Katniss’ and Peeta’s new life, it drags. Do not get me wrong, I think that doing this was crucial to what is later to come in the book, but nothing really exciting happens until the later chapters, unlike the first book.
Catching Fire was the perfect sequel to The Hunger Games. It was a little boring in the beginning, but the rest of the book made up for that. I recommend anyone who has read the first book to read the second one, and I do not doubt that they will. Catching Fire is an awesome book and is worth the money and time you will spend on it.
Review by Emma Walker
Pigg’s Passion for Fashion
Lately, I have noticed people have been wearing lacey clothing. Since lace is such a classic fabric, it looks good with solid colors. Many people think lace is a “dressy fabric”, but lace can, in fact, be dressed down. Try a lace shirt with a tank top under it and a pair of jeans. For best results, limit yourself to one item of lace per clothing. You can also try a lacey looking scarf with a solid color t-shirt. This is very simple, yet trendy.
- Senior Ashley Toliver- This off white shirt is simple, yet has a little bit of lace at the shoulder.
- Freshman Victoria Kesterson- This flowy lace shirt looks great with any color of tank under it.
- Junior Gracen Dunn- Her lace headband isn’t much, but gives the outfit a great look.
Blog by Taylor Pigg
Dott’s movie review: Water for Elephants
The movie, Water for Elephants, was released into theaters on April 22, 2011 and was released on DVD on November 1, 2011. The movie is told through the eyes of a 93-year-old man, Jacob Jankowski who reminisces about his life during the Depression.
Jacob, played by Robert Pattinson, gets a job at a circus where he has to deal with the abusive ringleader, August, played by Christoph Waltz and starts to develop feelings for Augusts’ wife, Marlena, played by Reese Witherspoon. Water for Elephants is categorized as a dramatic romance and runs around 97 minutes. The movie is rated PG-13 for moments of violence and sexual content. (So if your parents don’t endorse violence or kissing scenes, you may not want to buy this movie.) The director of Water for Elephants is Francis Lawrence.
When I first saw the previews of Water for Elephants, I really didn’t think it was going to be all that interesting. I’m normally not into romantic movies. But while staying with my close friend over the weekend, we were flipping through the channels and we decided to watch Water for Elephants and I was surprised when I really loved the movie. For starters, I love movies with Robert Pattinson starring in them. So that automatically was a thumbs up movie for me. (But if you’re anticipating to see him shirtless, don’t.)
I love how in the movie, Jacob, played by Robert Pattinson, takes care of the new elephant, Rosie, after ring leader, August, decides to be abusive towards her. I also liked how Jacob figured out that the reason that Rosie won’t do as she is told by August is because she doesn’t understand English. She only listens to commands spoken in Polish. I also liked how the ending happened. I won’t really go into detail because I don’t want to ruin the movie for anyone who hasn’t seen the movie or for anyone who plans to see it.
There really wasn’t any part of the movie that I didn’t like. Except for a few graphic moments when August was beating Rosie. But despite the violence, Water for Elephant was a pretty great movie. I would recommend it to anyone interested in dramatic romances.
Review by Brooklyn Dotts
Graham’s beauty tips (skin)
With summer coming up, there is only one thing on most people’s minds; getting out of school. However, while we are all preparing for the long break full of good times, friends and soaking up some rays, we must first take some precautions. I cannot stress enough the importance of taking care of your skin, not only for right now, but in the future too.
The sun has a way of drying out your skin, along with causing wrinkles and sun spots as you get older. Who wants those? Now, I’m not saying you should stay inside all summer long, but I do strongly urge you to start a daily moisturizing and exfoliating regime. Mine, for example, included moisturizing twice a day, and exfoliating at least once a day, more if your skin starts to peel or become flaky.
For a moisturizer, I highly recommend something non-comedogenic, meaning it will not clog your pores, with a decent SPF, to protect your skin from harsh sun exposure. Cetaphil makes a great line of moisturizing products that are guaranteed not to clog your pores, most of which are available at Walmart for a reasonable price.
While there are a few decent methods of exfoliating on the market, I tend to have better luck with a simple mixture of olive oil and brown sugar. Just mix equal parts of these ingredients, and store in an airtight container. A little bit goes a long way, and it does the double duty of exfoliating and moisturizing at the same time.
It is important to find a system that works best for you, and stick with it. While it may seem like a chore right now, trust me, your skin will thank you in the long run.
Blog by Alyson Graham
Phillip’s Blog: Poor Grammer
In today’s society, grammar has become slightly unimportant; most adults like to blame it on texting, and I feel like that might be a part of the problem. I personally think that people are becoming a little lazier. Some adults like to single out the teenage population as being illiterate or incompetent when it comes to grammar, but in actuality, it’s the populous as a whole. To me grammar is very important, it reflects on your stupidity or your intelligence.
Communication occurs every day. Some people have to use different forms of communication for various reasons. But, when speaking to someone, the first impression they have of a person is because of the way they speak.
Of course, a person’s actions also have an effect on the way they are viewed by their peers. When I carry on a conversation with someone, I am always criticizing the way he or she speaks. Of course I know that I do not speak perfect English all the time, even though it is my language.
Poor grammar is not only happening in verbal conversations it is also happening everywhere. The most popular way of communicating over distances, whether it be one thousand miles away or a few feet away is either text messaging or over a social network.
I do have a cell phone and text often, I also have a Facebook; but I always proof read before I send a text message or post anything on Facebook. I personally do not like looking like an idiot when it comes to what I say, although I cannot always avoid this. (It’s kind of curse, dying my hair red does not mean I do not have the occasional “blonde” moment.) I will admit that I have noticed the decline in poor grammar, and it is pathetic. My biggest annoyance is when people spell the word “you” like “yu” first of all when you spell it like “yu” one letter is being left out, I don’t really understand how leaving out one letter really helps a person all that much.
More or less, grammar should be taken more seriously. It reflects so much about a person, to me if a person speaks poorly, then I feel like they are not trying to carry on a conversation, or they are stupid. An average person who just finishes high school and does not continue college has 12 years of education in just English.
Learn your language, it is what you have grown up around, if you have the resources there is no excuse for your stupidity.
Blog by Brianna Phillips
Graham’s Movie Review: Mirror Mirror
We all have something that reminds us of a simpler time, when life’s biggest problems were deciding what cereal to have for breakfast and what games to play at recess. Even the smallest reminder of something so sentimental can trigger a million different memories and emotions. For some, it may be an old teddy bear they used to sleep with, or a cartoon they used to watch every morning before school. For me, however, it is Disney movies. So, when a new version of the classic Disney princess movie, Snow White, came out in theaters, naturally I was excited.
Mirror Mirror, starring Julia Roberts and Lily Collins, premiered on March 30. It was rated PG, directed by Tarsem Singh, and lasted 106 minutes. In this updated version, Roberts plays the wicked queen who has taken over the kingdom after the passing of her husband. Snow White, played by Collins, is forced to live in exile for most of her life. However, on her eighteenth birthday, Snow White discovers the damage the queen has done, and must fight for her right to the throne.
While the plot of this movie differs somewhat from the original, I was still very pleased with it. The important aspects, such as Snow White’s camaraderie with the seven dwarves, her courage in standing up against the queen and her love for the Prince are all intact, with a little humor and quirkiness thrown into the mix. With a diverse plot of comedy, romance, drama and action, this movie has something for everyone.
Review Alyson Graham
Ron’s game shop
The Game Shop is open for business once again. Last time, we talked about Madden and NCAA Football. This time we’ll be discussing the current and next generation of consoles, and what I expect from the next generation, along with any up-to-date rumored information.
The current generation of consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii) has been around for a while now. The Xbox 360 was launched on November 16, 2005. The PlayStation 3 was released on November 11, 2006. The Wii released on November 19, 2006. So for about five or six years, we’ve been playing the same console. That hardware is seriously out of date compared to the current generation of hardware. Because of the constant upgrades in technology, the PC can always be ahead of consoles. And most of the great looking games coming out today are being limited by the consoles, due to having to downgrade to the lower hardware.
The Microsoft Xbox 360 was released in November 2005. From a hardware standpoint, it featured a tri-core processor. From the get-go, it was deemed the better console. It had many more launch titles than its main competitor, the PlayStation 3. It also had an astounding online community that Microsoft built on from the original Xbox: Xbox LIVE.
The Sony PlayStation 3 was unleashed to the world in November 2006. It had very few launch titles, due to its complicated Cell architecture. The Cell Broadband Engine Architecture was designed between Sony, IBM, and Toshiba for about 4 years starting from March 2001. It featured eight cores, and it had much different architecture than a standard processor, which Microsoft used in its console. Because of this new processor and the new architecture, games were few and far between on the PlayStation 3 for quite some years. Developers finally started understanding and designing for the PlayStation 3 in late 2008, early 2009. It featured Sony’s online portion, the PlayStation Network. It is free to play, compared to Xbox LIVE’s pay-per-month system.
The Wii was released in 2006 as well. The other current generation consoles wowed audiences and critics alike for the amazing graphics they were capable of. However, the Wii ditched graphics for a more intuitive and revolutionary way to play. The industry standard controller was replaced with the Wii’s motion sensing nunchuck-type controllers.
The next generation of consoles has been highly awaited by consumers for many years now, but companies can’t just release a new console every year. This would cause confusion for consumers, and would lose money insanely quick, seeing as how a new console is usually around $400 (the PS3 was $600 on launch).
Sony is committed to what they call a “ten year life span” for each of their consoles. Microsoft never had a specific release pattern, so nobody really knows when the next Xbox could be released. Nintendo has a long history of video game consoles (dating back to 1985), and their newest, the Wii U, has already been announced for a holiday 2012 release. So aside from Nintendo’s newest console, we’re a long way away from seeing the next generation of consoles. I wouldn’t expect any announcements until 2013 or 2014. Then again, there could be a hidden announcement at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)…
The rumors going around are that the new PlayStation will be called the PlayStation Orbis. At this point, Orbis is only a codename, so the real name of the console is unknown. Supposedly it will use anti-used games technology, to stop companies like GameStop, as well as people letting their friends borrow a game to try it before they buy it. It is also speculated that the PlayStation Orbis will have a 2.9 Gh/z quad core processor, along with a low-mid range graphics card, the Radeon HD 7670. More information can be found here: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2012/03/ps3-successor-orbis-rumored-for-late-2013-ties-retail-games-to-online-accounts.ars
The new Xbox doesn’t have much information out yet. This console is usually called the Xbox 720 by the community, although there are no official codenames as of yet. There are rumors surrounding this new Xbox that also involve the use of anti-used games technology. The rumored specifications for the new Xbox are similar to that of the PlayStation Orbis, more specifically with the graphics card. More information can be found here: http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/xbox-720-release-date-news-and-rumours-937167
The Wii U has much more information available to check out around the Internet, since it was announced last year at E3, which was in June. It will have a 6.2 inch touch screen on the controllers, in case you can’t use a TV. It will also feature current generation-capable graphics abilities, so Nintendo is still a little behind.
Personally, I expect so much out of the next generation of consoles. The current generation is so far behind that developers have to “dumb down” so much of their game just to get it to run at a stable pace. With the new generation, developers should have the freedom to use all of their content on their masterpieces. We will be able to see much bigger and more detailed game worlds, more exciting features, and greatness for many years to come.
Thank you for checking out the Game Shop! Next time, we will talk about violent video games. I expect a good blog for that one.
Blog by Ron Comton
Patton’s Blog: Today’s Music
Just so you know, this is very biased and opinionated.
Something I’ve noticed, or that many people like myself have noticed, is that today’s general taste in music is awful. It has gotten to the point where I can’t even listen to the radio in my car.
Nearly every song played on the “popular stations” (such as 98.9, 99.7, etc. which are also stations my friends force me to listen to every once in a while) are rarely songs that mean something (which is one of my criteria for good music).
For example, artist Nicki Minaj, has a song called, “Stupid H**” in which she repeatedly talks about how she is better than another girl, and literally calls her a “stupid h**.” The fact that people enjoy listening to this kind of music makes me think of the state of my generation, which is bad. Very bad. By that, I mean that young people like me think that is appropriate to call others names like this, (as well as do things in other songs, like drink and smoke, and breaking laws, not that I think any of this is okay, because it’s not). It’s a bad influence and pretty much gives the okay for people to be disrespectful toward others.
In my opinion, good music makes the world go round. Think of how many people bands like The Beatles, and artists like Bob Dylan moved many others. These people are known around the world for the messages and inspiration they gave us through their talent.
Most of today’s artists cannot leave this world, or their career, and say that they left a decent impression. It’s one thing to have talent, but another to use it in a respectable manner.
I understand that things like sex, drugs and other bad things that could influence have always made their way into songs, but the thing is though, in the past the message left behind from a song just what you interpreted. Lyrics can mean many things, but sometimes it’s just what you think. In a lot of today’s music, these subtle hints are ruined due to the fact that artists are very blunt and straight forward about what they are telling us.
Now, I’m going to state some artists who fit into this category, as well as ones that give other reasons for disapproval (from me).
I’ll start with someone like Lil’ Wayne. Lil’ Wayne, a rapper who has been around for over a decade has had quite the career. Personally, I think that Lil’ Wayne’s music is just as bad as that of Nicki Minaj. I am quite aware that these people have very, very great talents but the music they make and the words they share are full of disgust. I, in no way shape or form can say that a single Lil Wayne song that I have ever heard is good.
(Note: I know that several people reading this will come back with something like “Well, you’ve just never heard any of their good songs” about whatever artist I dis, but just know that I listen to tons of music every day of my life. If someone I know likes someone, I will give them a try, but once I hear degrading noise I don’t think is worth my time, I won’t give a second chance.)
Another musical act I dislike is Nickelback. Nickelback is probably one of the only dislikes for me that other people make a fuss over. The thing is though, they are simply generic and do not stand out. The music they make and the sound of the lead singer’s voice (Chad Kroeger) just does not do it for me, and actually gets quite annoying. His voice sounds so strained and it sounds like he’s on the verge of dying or possibly having the bowel movement of his life. The band 3 Doors Down is also on the same path as Nickelback, only I can stand them a wee bit more than Nickelback.
There are others that I do not like, but I won’t waste your time. I’ll move on to some positive influences I think anyone should give a try.
I’d like to start with the fact that the concept of “rock” has changes so much over the years, and bands that call themselves rock bands don’t reflect what rock once was.
One band that I feel truly brings out a real feel of rock music is the Foo Fighters. Lead singer Dave Grohl has been through so much in his career, and his skills have not changed or degraded one bit. Every album released by Foo Fighters is a good one and there are always songs that reach everyone that listens to them. They are one of the very few great bands of this decade, and their music isn’t going away, so I encourage anyone to become a fan.
Another artist that I feel people should listen to is Adele. I know what most everyone knows her songs like “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone like you” but she has other great songs as well. Adele’s talent goes beyond her lyrics and music, and opened a door that makes me realize how fantastic peoples’ voices can be. The fact that she doesn’t directly disrespect people in a immature way, she pours her heart and soul into what she does, and I think that is an important part of great music, too.
Now, I’d like to end this here before I get carried away. I would like to say that I am aware that everyone is different, and while I may sound very opinionated, I realize that music and why people like music is different. This is just my thoughts on the subject. I’m not trying to change your mind or say you have a horrible taste in music. I just simply disagree with some.
Blog by Samantha Patton
Graham’s Blog: Losing Loved Ones
Losing someone you love is probably the most difficult challenge any of us will ever face.
Our lives tend to revolve around the people in them, and once they are no longer there, it is as if the center of our world has just disappeared. It is almost unfathomable; the way that a person can be here one day, and then just not be the next. There is no reason, no rhyme, and no fairness in death; it just is.
So if something like this, that happens every day, is so unthinkable to the average adult or teenager, what must it be like from a child’s point of view?
Little girls and boys are not programmed to take on such feelings as grief and bereavement; their biggest worries in life should be learning the alphabet, or hurting their knee falling off of the monkey bars. So how does an innocent little kid cope with the loss of a loved one as close to them as a parent? According to singleparents.about.com, there are four stages in the grieving process of children.
The first is shock and numbness. During this time, the child is in a state of disbelief, and they may behave as though everything is fine. However, this is only the surface; they are only beginning to deal with and understand the reality of the situation. With so much going on inside of them, the child’s ability to focus and think clearly may be lessened. What they really need during this time is space, patience, and a shoulder to lean on when they are ready to cope.
The second stage is yearning and searching. The child begins to realize that their mother or father may never be coming home, thus sending them into a whirlwind of emotions. They become very angry and frustrated, and even tend to blame themselves, no matter how irrational that may be.
Once the child has fully processed the loss, they enter into a state of severe depression and disorientation. However, because children have not yet developed all of the social skills necessary to adequately address this depression, they may express it through a lack of appetite, sleeplessness, and no enthusiasm for any of the things they once enjoyed.
After all of this, it is time for the healing to begin. The child finally starts to accept the loss, and understand how it fits into their new life. While it may be a long and bumpy road, getting here, a little patience and understanding from the people around them can make all of the difference.
Blog by Alyson Graham
Graham’s Beauty Tips
While it may seem tempting to spend your money buying that must-have shade of eye-shadow that you’ve been wanting for weeks, or that mascara in the commercial that has been playing on TV not-stop, it is crucial to first invest money in a quality set of make-up brushes. For the face, two routes seem to work the best.
If you use liquid foundation, I recommend a Beauty Blender. This is a more advanced version of the average makeup sponge; the principle is the same, but the Beauty Blender comes with the advantage of being eco-friendly. It is washable with its partner product, Blender Cleanser, and one is all you need. It even comes with instructions to teach you those little tips and tricks that can help you achieve a flawless look. Both of these products can be purchased in a kit for around $40.
If, like me, you prefer a powder foundation, I recommend a Kabuki brush. These are usually made out of coarse bristles, packed tightly together. They work by actually “buffing” the powder into your skin, providing a natural look, maximum coverage and long-lasting make-up. Simply hold the brush at the base, close to the bristles and smooth over your skin in circular motions. Bare Escentuals makes a good Kabuki brush for $28, but there are cheaper versions available at Walmart.
For the eyes, three must-have brushes that can create any make-up look. The first is the lid brush; this is used to simply apply an even layer of eye shadow over the entire eyelid. The second is the blender brush, which is used to add a darker color to the crease of the eyelid, and to blend. The third and final brush is the smudger brush, which is used to soften up hard edges in your eye shadow, and also lessen the harsh look that eyeliner can sometimes create. Popular make-up brand, Too Faced, makes a kit that includes all three of these for $39.
All of these products can be found at Sephora.
Blog by Alyson Graham
Walker’s Movie Review: The Hunger Games
The new film based on the book by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games, came out in theaters on March 23. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson. The film is directed by Gary Ross, rated PG-13, and runs for 2 hours and 22 minutes.
This film is about the journey of two tributes from the twelve districts of the new post-apocalypse that are fighting to the death against tributes from the twelve other districts. world in the Hunger Games. The two quickly find that they have a lot to learn. They are mentored by the only winner from District 12, Haymitch, (Harrelson) on how to try to stay alive in the games. A few days after the games actually start the two learn that if they are the last ones standing, they will both win. They then have to learn to work together if they want to survive the games.
This is the first film I have ever seen where it was almost an exact replica of the book. Since most of the book was Katniss’ thoughts, they added extra scenes between multiple characters to explain what is going on. That was the best thing the makers of the film have ever done. It really helped the audience from getting confused on what is happening. The film was also very long, and if they had not done that, I feel like the film would not have stood up to the expectation that it would be the first really great film in a long time.
The only thing I did not like is that it changed a major scene between the two main characters. This scene really set the mood for the second book. Since this is a big point in the second book, if they make a second movie, it will not make that much sense. I feel like if it was included, it would have had the audience even father on the edges of their seats.
Overall, this film lived up to the book. It had everything in there, with the exception of the ending, that was in the book. I do recommend seeing the movie, but only if you have read the book first. It did not disappoint.
Review by Emma Walker
Dott’s Movie Review: The Hunger Games
The movie, The Hunger Games, was released into theaters on March 23, 2012 and is rated PG-13 and runs approximately 2 hours and 22 minutes. The rating is mostly based on the fact that the movie features various violent scenes. The Hunger Games is categorized as Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Action/Adventure. The two main characters are played by Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) and Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark).
I personally have already read all three books in The Hunger Games series. (And the movie will probably make more sense if you’ve read the book.) So I was really excited to see the movie. And I wasn’t surprised when I totally loved it. I loved the people the director casted to play Katniss and Peeta. I also loved the fact that the director followed the book, meaning they didn’t add or subtract scenes from the book. I was afraid that The Hunger Games would be really violent, and some parts were pretty sketchy, but for the most part, it wasn’t all that violent. (If I had a strong enough stomach to watch it, you’ll manage.)
I loved the heart breaking moments throughout the movie. For example, at the beginning of The Hunger Games at what the Districts call “The Reaping”, Katniss has to watch her younger sister, Prim, be chosen as a Tribute. And then Katniss volunteers herself in place of her sister. I had a few tears reach my eyes just because it’s sad knowing that either one of them is going to have to be a Tribute and fight for their life. I also loved how the director showed the relationship between Katniss and Peeta and Katniss and Gale (Katniss’ friend from home, District 12). I liked how Katniss really can’t decide who she wants to be with without hurting either Peeta or Gale. Overall, I really loved the movie and I’m super excited to see the next film, Catching Fire.
The last thing that I really liked of the movie was the ending. And I’m normally not a person to enjoy the ending of movies. In the book, The Hunger Games, it ended a little differently than the movie did. But it left me wanting more so I will most definitely be going to see the second movie in the series.
I really loved this entire movie. I can’t think of a single thing that I didn’t enjoy. I would recommend this movie to 1.) Anyone who has read the trilogy and 2.) Anyone who is interested in Science Fiction and fantasy movies The Hunger Games is a great movie and I recommend it to anyone.
Review by Brooklyn Dotts
PALS helping special needs children
Everyone has a calling, or something he or she are destined to do and become. While it can sometimes feel hopeless and out of reach, it is important to keep searching for that one special niche that you have in the world. For some, the challenge of finding your place in society can be a long process. I, on the other hand, was one of the lucky ones who knew what she wanted to do from a very young age.
My dream of becoming a special needs child therapist combines my two greatest loves; psychology, and special needs children. I first knew I wanted to do this in the fourth grade, when I participated in a school-sponsored program called TOTS (Teachers of Tomorrow), at my old elementary school in Florida.
My job as a “TOT” was to assist the teachers in whatever classroom I was assigned to by cleaning up, running errands and other small jobs. By chance, I was placed in a classroom full of special needs kindergarteners. Seeing the way these kids interacted with each other, and how innocent and loving they were, I couldn’t help falling in love with them instantly.
What people often times don’t realize is that with the disabilities that these people have, also comes a heart bigger than most of us can ever claim to have. They don’t judge, or see people in the way that many of us do. To them, everyone is equal.
Being so eager to do what I can for the special needs community, I am constantly looking for organizations and volunteer programs to get in touch with. One day, I came across a website for an organization that sounded perfect for me; PALS.
PALS, located in Bloomington, stands for People and Animal Learning Services. Their main objective is to teach special needs children and adults by the utilization of horse therapy. This means that, by pairing a special needs person with a horse, they can learn to communicate more effectively, and go on to carry out this knowledge into their everyday life. Horses like to feel safe, and if they are paired with someone who is noisy, loud, and aggressive, they will become frightened. However, if a child can learn to communicate with the horse in an effective way, they can control them.
Another reason why horses work so well with these people is that horses are much simpler than humans are, and therefore require much more simple direction. A simple, “Stop. Go. Turn Right,” is much easier for a special needs child to manage, rather than communication a full sentence to another person. For children with mental or emotional disorders, they often feel insecure. If they are able to control a horse, it can give them a sense of empowerment and confidence.
Horse therapy can also help to treat a person with ADD. They will learn to focus on grooming and leading the horse, even though they are usually not able to focus on anything for long periods of time.
No matter what the disability that the person has, horse therapy has helped to make special needs people’s lives much more manageable. While it may sound a little far-fetched and silly to the average person, it is a highly utilized therapeutic exercise.
There is a lot to be said for the people at PALS. Not only are they dedicating their lives to the good of others, but they are recruiting many other your people interested in special needs therapy, and giving them an inside view into the field at a very early age. I hope to be able to work with them and learn from them for many years to come. If you would like to get involved, or simply learn more about this organization, feel free to browse their website at www.palstherapy.org.
Blog/ info by Alyson Graham
Ron’s Game Shop
Welcome back to the Game Shop. On your last visit, we discussed my new computer and the new parts in it. This time around, I’ve got to talk about NCAA Football 12. This will be coming from the perspective of someone who never really understood the inner workings of football, so most of the time I do not know what I’m talking about. But that’s what makes it entertaining, right?
When you speak of football games, two major series come to mind; Madden, and NCAA Football. There used to be the ESPN 2k football games, until EA Sports bought out the contract with the NFL, and now we’re doomed to annual sequels that rarely change more than little details.
I started my video game football “career” with Madden NFL 11. I had a really fun time playing this game while it was all that I had. However, over the course of time, I discovered many flaws.
A defender being “suctioned” in to tackle your receiver or running back from around three yards away is just one of many examples. It was my first entry into the football video game genre, but it left a sort of sour taste on my video game taste buds (like what I did there?).
Madden NFL 12 was released in early August 2011. I had played the demo that came out in mid-July, and it just blew me away. Because I wanted something different from the experience that Madden 11 has, I really wanted Madden 12. However, I did not end up getting it until some time in January. When I did get it, I was in love. It was something completely different I had not seen before, plus it had addressed many issues from the previous year’s game.
Suction tackles were removed, as well as the horrid tackling. Gang tackles are now more realistic, and momentum is a big factor in making a big hit on an offensive player. However, this one still had flaws. Linebackers being able to jump five yards in the air to one-handed intercept a ball is the main problem I have. But overall, it is still better than Madden 11.
The NFL is what I’m really interested in. I honestly have no concern about college football. But in hearing that NCAA Football 12 is the better football game, I knew I had to check it out.
In early March, I got NCAA 12. I have not looked back since. This game is such an improvement to Madden, in both gameplay and visuals. When you play this game, you can tell that NCAA 12 is the superior football game. I don’t think I have found a flaw in this game yet. It has better visuals than the Madden series, and better gameplay. How can you beat that? However, I cannot get around the fact that it’s a college football game. I just don’t really like college football. But there is an AMAZING feature in NCAA 12 that I took a liking to: Team Builder.
Team Builder allows you to go to EA Sports’ website and design your own team. It is so detailed; it even gets down to naming the coach, and uploading primary/secondary logos. You can individually name players, and type in stats one-by-one. Once you save your team, you have the option of making it public or private. Once you save it, you can go to the main menu of NCAA 12, and go to the Team Builder option. You have multiple searching options, like team and city name, school type, author, etc. If you want to download and test a private team, search for your own user ID, which would be your gamertag on Xbox 360, or your PlayStation Network ID on PS3.
With the ability that Team Builder gives you (compared to Madden’s pathetic custom team creator), I was able to create a somewhat true-to-life Paoli Rams team from this past season (2011-2012). I still need to edit stats to reflect true skill, but the uniforms and the field are mostly good. I actually had fun doing it too, and I got a little help from freshman Todd Osborn.
Thank you for stopping by the Game Shop. The next time you come back, we will be talking about my thoughts on the current generation of video game consoles, and what I expect from the next generation. Until then, stay classy.
Blog by Ron Compton
Dotts’ Blog: The struggle of a high school relationship
People go through relationships all through their high school years. That being said, the more serious the relationship is the more problems that can occur along the way.
I have been in a strong relationship with senior JD Ellis for a little over 11 months but I have known him for over a year. So you get the idea that we’re pretty close. For someone like me, I have to deal with the fact that JD is graduating high school in the late spring, while I still have three years left of high school. I personally still have to figure out how I’m going to handle it and someone else might be wondering what problems this might cause for us.
JD and I have talked about this multiple times, and we know it could potentially cause problems with our relationship. Being in a relationship alone can cause problems but having to deal with him leaving high school is something totally new to me. And it’s probably going to take some hard work to make sure our relationship doesn’t fall apart. We text all the time anyways, so I’m assuming that will still be a part of our relationship and how we stay in contact. I don’t have my license yet and because of personal problems, neither does JD. So we can only see each other during the school hours and when our parents make time for us to hang out.
Someone in my position may be really worried or scared for the sake of their relationship. I’m worried that the distance and the lack of not seeing each other are going to cause problems for our relationship. I’m also scared, and possibly a tad jealous, that maybe he’ll get out in the “real” world, and find someone older and that will end our relationship. And on his part, I’m sure he’s worried I’ll leave him for someone who is still in school (I would never do that but I totally understand his concerns).
As for someone else who is going through this sort of situation, I can only tell you that as long as you and your partner have a good trust bond, stay faithful and try to stay in contact; your relationship should stay healthy. But don’t freak out when this sort of situation does cause problems because what do you really expect? Maybe this will be a time for you to realize whether the relationship is worth it or not.
Blog by Brooklyn Dotts
Walker’s Book Review: Marked
Marked is the first book in the House of Night series and is written by P.C. and Kristin Cast.
This book is about a girl, Zoey, who is trying to survive the change into a vampire. Teenagers that have the mark (half-crescent moon) are considered young vampires (fledglings) and go to a four-year school to help them survive the change. While she is there, she deals with all of the drama of a normal high school years, meets friends and some enemies and discovers that she is much more than an average fledgling.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it might be like the book Twilight, but it is something completely different. I like how the authors included the everyday high school life into the book. It really helped the readers connect to the character, since most readers are high-school age. I also enjoyed how they made the main character stand out in the school, and have her overcome her obstacles in a whole new way.
The thing I didn’t like is the way Zoey had to overcome her obstacles. She had to become one of the “bad guys” to help change the school. I really did not want to see that happen, but it worked out in the end.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good fictional story that has some mystery in it, and even a little romance. I do warn that this is a book that is more for an audience that can handle more mature scenes. This book is worth the money and will have one wanting to read all of the others.
Review by Emma Walker
Walker’s Book Review: Betrayed
Betrayed is the second book in the House of Night Series. It is written by P.C and Kristin Cast. The book follows Zoey as she learns more about here incredibly rare new powers. Zoey is still in her first year of her four-year vampire school. Her friends return as well as her enemies. Her friends learn that they each have a new power that is related to Zoey somehow. As the book goes along, Zoey learns more and more about her new self, and others, everyday.
I really enjoyed this book. Something about fantasy and mythical creatures really interest me, so if that interests someone, this is the book for them. Most of the main characters came back, so that kept the book alive and interesting. The biggest thing that was an improvement in this book from the first one is that they improved the clique of the more noticeable people that they had in the first one. It is more friendly and judging and I like that in a book.
The thing I did not like in this book was that they turned Zoey’s old friends and family against her. It really made the book seem more depressing because she could not even relay on her own family, and all of her old friends became heartless people.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I recommend this book, but, like the first one, someone should only watch it if they are on a high-school age maturity level. It is worth the time and money one reads on it, and will have one wanting more. If one does read this book, just read Marked first and it will make a whole lot more sense.
Review by Emma Walker
Graham’s Blog: Stress and Education
Stress is an emotion that we have all experience at one point or another. For teenagers, stress comes as a result of school work, friendships, relationships and responsibilities at home. With so many things to worry about, and very little real-life experience to use as a reference, stress can become overwhelming, thus causing a person to become less productive in the areas of our lives that are causing a person to be stress. But how does all of this affect us at school?
According to British psychologist, Guy Brandon, author of psych blog Stress and Education, stress is a defense mechanism. Its original purpose in mankind was to keep us safe from physical threats, resulting in a fight or flight response. However, in modern times, it is more commonly caused by social situations.
The problem with stress comes when we consider the different types of stress, and how they vary based on their triggers. Turns out, stress is a one-size-fits-all response to negative situations in general. This means that the stress you experience when coming in contact with a serial killer is technically no different than the stress you would experience over an essay that is due tomorrow; Crazy, right?
However, stress is intended to be a short-term response to something that is dangerous, and it is not meant to last for long periods of time. Education, in contrast, is inherently a long-term situation; something we are faced with from the age of five to the age of 18, and even longer for a vast number of people. Our bodies are not prepared to deal with stress for such a long period of time, and it ends up being extremely overwhelming. This all ultimately results in disaster.
Thankfully, there are a number of solutions to this problem that can be built into a teacher’s syllabus.
One is exercise. Since stress induces a fight or flight response, physical activity can allow students to release that energy somewhere else. This is obviously a better alternative to not exercising, which causing them to completely avoid the situation that has caused the stress, such as an essay or a homework assignment.
Relaxation exercises are also a way to relive stress. These allow you to look at the stressful situation from an objective point of view, and allow you to deal with them in an appropriate manner.
Finally, cognitive behavioral therapy is a very effective way of reducing or relieving stress. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach to treating irrational or negative thinking. CBT can range from tasks as simple as keeping a diary to attending regular sessions of therapy with a licensed therapist. In these sessions, a patient is likely to be doing things such as facing activities that may have previously been avoided and discussing the problem, allowing the patient to view challenges clearly. This also allows you to look at the situation from an objective point of view. By doing this, you can adjust the connection between the way you think and the way you feel, allowing you to simply “turn off” the automatic stress response when it is not necessary.
Stress serves a purpose; to protect a person’s well-being. However, it’s place in the educational system seems to be counter-productive. While we may never see the day when methods of relieving stress such as relaxation exercises and cognitive therapy are a regular part of our education system, it is certainly something to think about.
Blog by Alyson Graham
Osborn’s Review: Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3 is the eleventh game in the Battle Field franchise. The first of these games was Battlefield 1942 and it was released in 2002. This game is the typical FPS (First Person Shooter), but it adds a realism factor into it. This game is available for Xbox 360 and PS3.
Battlefield 3 starts off a brand new single player campaign. This starts a new campaign, because the other battlefield games do not have campaigns. One thing that all the battlefield games have, and have an excellent reputation in, is their online multiplayer.
The multiplayer is the main highlight in Battlefield 3. They focus most of their attention on the multiplayer and the multiplayer has many good parts to it, such as the bullet drop feature. The drop feature is where when you shoot a gun the bullet will drop depending on the distance of the impact. Another good part of the multiplayer experience is the amazing graphics that come along with it. All of the buildings, guns, and various debris looks so realistic. It is almost as you are in the game.
One bad part of the game is the lag compensation on the PS3. The lag compensation ruins the experience for all players. It doesn’t allow fair connection of the players. People with good connections will end up with bad connections and people with bad connections will end up with good connections, in comparison. This then makes the game unplayable if you have good connections.
This game is overall a good game and I can’t wait for the next Battlefield, Battlefield Bad Company 3, to come out so I can buy it.
Review by Todd Osborn
Patton’s Blog: Stressful thoughts of the future
My goal isn’t to make this personal, but in the last few months I’ve been in a state of mind in which I have never been before, and I don’t like it.
I know that as teenagers we’re supposed to be in that position where stress builds up and I’m also aware that this is one of the busiest years of my time in high school. With loads of homework, a job, friends, family and several other activities; free time seems precious and very rare to me.
When all of that hit me last semester I was also struck with a severe case of procrastination along with doubt and fear.
I had started to doubt myself compared to my elder classmates, the ones who went to school before me, and what I had in my mind to be. I was contemplating on whether or not school was important, and if I should even finish high school. There are a lot of things I want to do with my life that I feel school gets in the way of (but that’s a different story for another blog).
I felt as though I HAD to meet the expectations of everyone around me, and at the same time I was telling others that living up to someone else’s expectations was bogus, which to me it is. Therefore, all of the mixed emotions and concerns and pointless anxiety I was putting myself through really got to me.
I talked to my mom, my friends, and even Mrs. Nichols about quitting school and getting my GED. In my mind it seemed to be a great idea for someone that hates school as much as I do, but after talking about it and hearing “change something small, like your job, instead of making a huge decision that will impact the rest of your life,” from Mrs. Nichols I had to stop myself and consider what the future might hold.
After thinking and thinking about it I had a realization that I can do whatever I want with my life no matter what anyone tells me, or no matter what anyone thinks I should do, and that is truly what scares me the most.
When we’re younger we are told that we can be whatever we want to be, and I at least, believe it. The thing is though, as you get older, your dreams start to fade. Maybe I’m too young for this, but it’s true. When I stop and think of the future it seems as though I should choose a more practical path rather than one I would enjoy.
The easy way seems like it’s the only way when everyone around me is telling me that my dreams are crazy or impractical. When I talk about things like this with my friends, their opinions get in my head. They tell me what jobs they think I would be good at, and I also realize that even though they are my best friends, they don’t know me as well as I do because I do not agree with them 90 percent of the time.
To be honest, at this point I have no idea what I want to do in the future I’ll go to college, I’ll get a job, and I’ll live my life. Where that is, what it is and the process of it all is a mystery to me right now, and I’m okay with that. I have narrowed it down in my mind to figure out what makes me happy every day, what makes me want to do things and what inspires me. I encourage everyone that reads this that feels the same as me or not, to do so as well. That’s the point of this blog.
Blog by Sam Patton
Well’s Blog: Hoosier History
Almost everybody in Indiana knows a little history of the IU basketball team. What most people know is that they have won the third most national championships in college basketball history. On the other hand, the past decade has not been the greatest. The Hoosiers have gone through four different coaches in the last 12 years.
They started their decline when former coach Bob Knight left in 2000. After Knight’s final year, Coach Mike Davis replaced him for the next six seasons form 2000-2006. While he coached, the Hoosiers went 115-79.
The next coach was Coach Kelvin Sampson who replaced Davis for only two short years. He coached from 2006-2008 and had a decent record of 43-15. Sampson was fired in the 2008 season after being caught violating the recruiting rules.
The coach that replaced Sampson for the rest of the season was Dan Dakich. Dakich went 3-4 while coaching the Hoosiers for the end of that season.
The final coach for IU is current Head Coach Tom Crean. Crean started at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season. To show that he was serious, Crean cancelled the scholarships for the entire former team that IU had. He claimed that they didn’t work well together and recruited an all freshman class. In his first year, Crean went 6-25 with his young team. The 2009-2010 season was better with a 10-21 record. Since then he has brought Indiana basketball back into the world by getting his team better every year.
So far this season, Crean has led his team to a 23-7 record. The Hoosiers have made a big impact on NCAA basketball by beating three top 5 teams this season.
The first team they beat was No. 1 ranked UK Wildcats on December 10, 2011. The win came from a last second three-point buzzer-beater by Hoosier Junior Christian Watford to give Indiana the 73-72 win. This was and still is the only loss for Kentucky.
The next team they beat was No. 2 ranked Ohio State. The game was on December 31, 2011 and the Hoosiers topped the Buckeyes with a 74-70 win.
The most recent win was against No. 5 Michigan State. The Hoosiers beat them on February 28, 2012 in Assembly Hall, Bloomington, IN. The final score was 70-55 with a big IU win.
Indiana University basketball may have had a rough past couple of years, but the team continues to build and get better under Coach Crean. The Hoosiers are expected to make a run in the NCAA Tournament and could possibly go all the way. The long awaited for basketball team has finally been arranged in Bloomington, Indiana.
Blog by Ethan Wells
Compton’s Game Shop
Welcome back to the Game Shop. Last time around, I reviewed Modern Warfare 3. I had a lot to say about that subject, and I think there’s even more in store for this one. We’re going to talk about my new computer.
I’ve been in need of a good computer for a very long time. My very first computer was a very old Windows 98 machine that couldn’t do anything that I wanted to do. I didn’t have this computer for long. Back in the day, I didn’t know a single thing about computers. I ended up getting a virus that killed it, pretty much.
Shortly after that, I upgraded to a computer that was, at the time, below average (that’s saying something). I had that computer for about three years, from 2006 to 2009. There’s nothing special to say about it, so I’ll just leave it at that. I got my newer computer in early January 2009. The only reason I remember that is because I got that computer the day President Obama was inaugurated. That’s a true story. Anyway, that computer was the best one that I’ve had at that point, but again it definitely wasn’t anything to be proud of.
In today’s day where all the latest games and video editing software, etc. run so slow on older computers, I felt like it was time to upgrade. I have done a LOT of combined research, starting back in July 2011. So anyway, upgrading is exactly what I did.
The computer (on around January 31) I got was almost $2000. I was gearing up to do some long-term gaming and video editing, since I make YouTube videos, and Sony Vegas renders really slow on anything below a quad core processor. Gaming is my first priority (have you read this blog before?), YouTube comes second.
The parts I purchased in my computer leave me room to possibly upgrade this computer’s components down the line when things start to get a bit slow, which probably won’t be for a while. That’s what I’m hoping for at least, technology is always rapidly changing…
The processor I got is still one of the best out there, coming in at around $300. It’s an Intel Core i7-2600K. Now if you don’t get around with computer parts, let me explain. Core i7 is (and has been since 2008 or so) one of the fastest and best chipsets out there. The processor has great architecture that makes it fast, and it’s built for anything you need it to do. 2600K is the model number. The “K” means that it’s unlocked for “overclocking,” which is making it run at a higher frequency than factory settings. So if I need to render videos faster, or just boost my performance a little bit overall, I can increase the frequency the CPU (Central Processing Unit) runs at.
The video card that I purchased is still the second-fastest single GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) card on the market right now. Coming in at roughly $500 is the nVidia GeForce GTX 580. All you need to know is that nVidia is the company, GeForce is the product line it’s in, and GTX 580 is the card’s name. The 580 was first introduced in November 2010. It’s been known for its amazing performance in games, as well as anything else it needs to do. It can handle current games with a breeze—running Crysis 2 at 1080p with ultra settings, and not stuttering in the slightest bit. The same goes for Battlefield 3 (it’s a million times better on PC). I’m very happy with this graphics card. Later on if a single one just isn’t cutting it, I can buy a second one and use them in SLI mode, giving me potentially double performance.
I didn’t skimp on RAM (Random Access Memory) here. I got 8GB (2 sticks of 4GB) of memory installed in the beast. Everything that runs on a computer nowadays is most likely going to take a LOT of memory. So to counter that, I got a respectable amount of memory put in this thing. I have to say, it runs really fast and it’s a lot of memory for what I do.
Everything else isn’t really necessary to know, or it gets too geeky for people to understand. Kind of ironic saying that, seeing as how if you made it this far, you’re probably thinking, “… what did I just read…?” However, the case is something to note. It’s a fantastic case for air cooling, having multiple places to have a case-mounted fan installed. I have two spots open on the top of my case that I’m going to fill whenever I get some fans. That should help cut down on some of the heat. It does get somewhat hot in there, but I expected it to be hotter than it is actually. My graphics card runs at 65o Celsius when I’m playing an intense game, and that’s a low temperature for GTX 580 cards! I’ve also got some blue LEDs in the case, and it looks awesome with the side window on it. It lights up my room when it’s on and the lights are off.
I think I’ve covered everything that needs to be covered about my new computer. Next time around, I’ll be talking about NCAA Football 12 from the perspective of a player who started football games with Madden NFL 11, and possibly my project to create the 2011-2012 Paoli Rams in NCAA 12. Hopefully that will be an interesting one. Until next time, stay classy my friends.
Blog by Ron Compton
Walker’s Review on Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
The film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a new 2012 film starring Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens and Luis Guzman. It is rated PG and runs for 94 minutes.
This film is about a boy (Hutcherson) who convinces his mom and step-dad (Johnson) to let him go look for his grandpa (Caine) on the Mysterious Island.
They find two locals (Hudgens and Guzman) to take them to the island. They end up on the island and find adventure and the grandpa. They soon realize they have about three days to get off the island before it sinks back into the ocean for another 70 years.
By the previews, I thought it was more for a younger audience, and that it would not be for me. To my surprise, though, I really enjoyed it. It was very interesting and I found it to be funny and even hilarious at some points. I thought that Johnson and Guzman worked well together and played off each other well.
The only thing that I disliked about the film was when they were looking for a way off the island, a section of that was shortened into a type of montage. I thought that if they showed more of that, it would have been a better film.
Overall, it was a really good film. It was worth the hour and a half that it lasts, and the money. I recommend going to see this film. Everyone, friends or family, will have a good time.
Review by Emma Walker
