Post on 11-Aug-2021
Designer Babies?Endangered Species
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Equal Pay ForWomen
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Fruita NewscatIssue 1 Volume 1 Fruita Newscat Spring 2018
Do not Discriminate SkateboardersBy Trevor Allen
Skateboarding is not a crime, it is a lifestyle, you can meet new people, be outside
all the time instead of doing boring things at home all the time like homework. You can
learn new tricks every day, and you can get good sponsors and get clothes and boards.
A lot of people don't like skaters, they scream at you, steal your board, try and
fight you, call the cops, and other thing. People need to stop this, they are ruining the
fun of skating, all that skaters want is to get some good tricks and they will leave, but
some, not all but some people make it a big deal, yelling, screaming, calling us names,
and all that.
Endangered SpeciesMy Views on This Problem:I do not like this problem, I think theendangered species should be savedor at least protected frompredators and poachers. I believethat the animals/plants should not belead to extinction. Another problem isdeforestation, the animals are living inplaces where we kill their habitat,and they have nowhere to live, and Ithink every animal should have aplace to live.
Reasons Why They Are Endangered:One reason why species arebecoming extinct is because theenvironment is changing, so theycan’t adapt to their environment, sothey die from predators and otheroccurrences. Another reason ispoaching. The poachers go and huntfor animals not for the meat, butthe horns. The poachers collectover 23 metric tons of ivory. (that’s50706.3 pounds!) It is worth 1,500dollars for every pound in Asia.More than 80% of the elephantpopulation has been illegally killed forthe ivory. (Animal Right Action)
Consequences:Something that could happen is theother species could becomeendangered. If the endangeredspecies go extinct, then otherspecies could go endangered.Theendangered species were prey forother predators, then they won’thave much food because one oftheir sources of food will be lost,then other species will goendangered.
The food chain will get messed up, then oursource of food could go endangered. Thehumans are the dominant consumers, we killto many things by our actions, and if we killmost of the animal population, then it couldaffect our food resources. (Wignall,Prezi). There is also illegal trade amonganimals. (Parkinson, Prezi).
Ways to Protect the Animals: Don’t supportAnimals in Entertainment: Animals in thecircus, and zoos do not let the animals thenatural and important things they need. Theywill never be able to live with their families.They will never be able to roam freely, ordo what they want to do in the wild. Do notsupport zoos and circuses by not going tothem (Easy way to support) Never buyproducts from endangered species. Whenyou buy something made from somethingthat is endangered, it encourages thesellers to get more of those products, andit will kill more animals and it could eventuallymake that type of species become extinct.
One Type of Endangered Species:Black Rhino: In the 20th century, thepopulation declined dramatically towardsEuropean hunters and settlers. In 1960-1995,the population dropped by a surprising 98%,to where the population was only about2,500 rhinos. (wildlife) The reason why theyare endangered, is poachers kill the rhinosfor the horns, then sell the horns on theblack market. Status toward extinction:Critically endangered.
By Landon Philips
Equal Payment for WomanWomen are almost half of the workforce. They are the sole or co-breadwinner in half of American
families with children. They receive more college and graduate degrees than men. Yet, on average,women continue to earn considerably less than men. In 2015, female full-time, year-round workersmade only 80 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 20 percent. So women doget more education for but the problem is their money gap.
- Peter Gewont
MyLife as anAbused Child--Anonymous
So let’s get strait to the point so I won’t waste your time. It all startedwhen my mom married her second husband. They had the best wedding but to mesomething wasn’t right. But when they bought a house that was when it allstarted. I was about 7 or 8 at the time. When my mom’s husband first startedabusing me it was about 4 or 5 months into their relationship. He would takeme downstairs and leave me there for no apparent reason for sometimes a day. Iwouldn’t get fed while I was down there and it was like it was his place to putme and not my sister. And then we had to move because we couldn’t afford thehouse anymore. At the new house we had a cup of cooking utensils and in thatwe had a wooden spoon. The handle was about 6 or 7 inches and the spoon part3 inches. He would spank my but for not doing the dishes fast enough or notbeing able to get a bowl from the top shelf. Sometimes he would break the spoonpart on my butt so he would send my mom to the store to get a new one. Mymom never took place in the abusing because she was always at work. This iswhy I feel people should take in to account that child abuse does not just takeplace in that movie you watched as a child. That is my story as an abused andneglected child.
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Designer BabiesDesigner babies are a term that refers to
children who develop from embryos that areselected or genetically modified in vitro (outside ofthe human body, usually in a laboratory setting) toensure that the resulting children possess certaindesired characteristics or traits. The parent(s) orscientist is the one that decides what designer babylooks like or what traits it acquires. This newtechnology is the subject of ethical debate. Theycould be “super humans” to replace modernhumans. Lee Silver has thought of a dystopia inwhich a race of superior humans look down onthose without genetic enhancements. Designerbabies were supposed to be for helping kids thatmight have genetic problems but now people see itas adding other traits. In many countries, editingembryos and germline modification for reproductiveuse is illegal. As of 2017, the United States ofAmerica restricts the use of germline modificationand the procedure is under heavy regulation by theFDA and NIH.
I imagine this world being some sortof dystopia. I think that in a world with alot of genetically modified embryos theycould be smart and demanding and thinkthey are better than regular humans. Thegenetically modified embryos could besmarter, better, faster, more pretty, etc. thannormal human. I think that the advancedhumans should not be a thing because thatcould turn our world into a dystopia.Designer babies could also go bad becauseif you were parents and you wanted anadvanced baby there are risks and thatcould ruin your baby or kill it.
How to fit in
BullyingBullying can cause lot and if you
don’t fit in your most likely to get bulliedrather than the other kids who do fit in.
TrendsThe trends that kids or teenagers have
today which is clothes, drugs, etc. Youdon’t have to do all of that to fit in justshow them your full personality and beyourself.
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-Triston Tate
How to do itHow to fit in is so easy they make it
sound harder than it really is, and it isjust about the people you choose tohang out with at school and out ofschool.
Just do itDon’t be afraid to talk to someone
just do it and then you’ll find out thatyou're braver than you thought and findsome lifetime friends.
Tips by Fred Clymer
Dirt Bikes Vs. HorsesWhich one is Worse for Local Trails?
You are on one of your favorite trails
and you come across a person riding a dirt
bike. Nine times out of ten you are going to
think, "They are going to ruin the trail!" I,
being a dirt biker have always wondered,
are we really that bad? But if we aren't the
worst, then who is? These thoughts
inspired this article, Dirt bikers or horses,
which are worse for the trails?
Through my research and
experiences, I have come to believe horses
are worse for the trails. I do not hate
horses. This article may display that but
that isn't true. I actually have 3 horses
myself and they are pretty great. So don't
come knocking on my door to beat me up
because I disagree with what you think.
Anyway continuing the essay. “Hiking, and
biking have similar impacts while horse use
has significantly higher impacts.” Writes
Woody Keen of AmericanTrails.org. A
common known fact is that when it rains,
dirt will turn to mud. When horses and
bikers go through this mud they will create
imprints in the dirt. These imprints will
eventually harden into permanent marks.
When a dirt bike does rides through
these muddy areas, it leaves a long rut in
the road. This also occurs when bikers
spin out on tracks. When a rider comes
across, one of theses tracks, the bike will
get caught in the groove which causes the
bike to follow that track--causing little
damage. Honestly it helps more than it
hinders.
However, when a horse goes
through a muddy area they leave a long
line of imprints. When a rider goes over
these imprints, it causes a series of
uncomfortable bumps that can cause
riders to lose control and crash. Woody
Keen of AmericanTrails.org says, “Horse
traffic also caused significant increases in
soil roughness compared with the other
2 users.” So not only do they leave large,
smelly piles of chewed grass gone
through the immune system in the middle
of the road, but they also cause injuries
and discomfort!
Now I know what you're thinking.
He has spent all this time talking about
how horses are terrible and nothing
about dirtbikers being bad! Sounds pretty
biased right? So now I am giving you
what you wanted, a paragraph hatin’ on
dirtbikes(and then why those arguments
are invalid). First off, dirt bikes have a
large potential to transport invasive
species through seeds that can attach
themselves to the bike, which can
drastically change ecosystems.
Second, increased dirt biking in
muddy areas cause large ruts which can
result in issues with water runoff. Happy
now? I gave you what you wanted.
Evidence that says dirt bikers are terrible
people. Just kidding, both of these things
can be easily prevented: most of the time
they are.
By Gage Atwood
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Dirt bikers can minimize these impacts by
keeping their bikes clean of plants and other
fungi. Also, dirt bikers can do their best to ride
when the dirt is dry which prevents unnatural
ruts and water pooling.
When I go riding I make sure that my all
the parts on my bike are functioning properly so
there are no spills or parts flying off. And I know
that most dirt bikers do the same thing. There is
only a remote percentage of those careless
idiots who even we dirt bikers don't like.
Now maybe I am looking at this wrong, but
it seems to me that there is a lot more evidence
that shows, compared to horses, us dirtbikers
are great; one might even call us angels.
So now you might be thinking, "Ok, so
he’s proved that horses are worse for the
trails. But how do we fix this and prevent the
injuries and discomfort the horses cause?”
Well I am glad you asked. The best possible
solution I have found is, to create separate
trails for horses to use. This way horses can
make all the marks they want and nobody will
get hurt because the horses impact will no
longer be on the trails. Through all the
evidence and proof shown, I feel like the world
should quit hating on us dirtbikers. Maybe
even thank us for the guidance we give(see
paragraph 3). I know that if we help fix these
conflicts we have between ourselves, then
maybe we can make the world a better and
more caring place.
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How Thanksgiving is celebratedin Different Places
By Scout ComptonThanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of
November in the united states. It originated as a harvest festival; the event that Americanscommonly call the “First Thanksgiving”. It was was celebrated by the pilgrims after their firstharvest in the NewWorld in October 1621. There are only a few places that celebrate thanksgivingCanada, the United States, Korea, The Netherlands, Germany and Grenada.
In Canada they celebrateThanksgiving on the secondMonday of October. In Canadatheir first thanksgiving was in1578 when an explorer fromEngland in search of thenorthwest passage. TheNorthwest Passage is, from theEuropean and northern Atlanticpoint of view, the sea route to thePacific Ocean through the ArcticOcean, along the northern coastof North America via waterwaysthrough the Canadian ArcticArchipelago.
In a little country in theCaribbean called Grenada they alsocall this holiday Thanksgivingalthough it has nothing to do with theharvest fest it is celebrated onOctober 25th. Rather it celebrates thewhen in 1983 when American troopsarrived to restore order during anattempted communist coup. Thesetroops introduced the concept ofthanksgiving and suggested that theGrenadians celebrate the restorationwith a democracy with a grand feastthe suggestion of thanksgiving thenturned into a national holiday.
In Korea they call what we callthanksgiving chuseok. This nametranslates as (Autumn Eve) thisholiday is celebrated for three daysnear the autumn equinox this iswhenever the harvest moonappears each year. In Korea forChuseok the foods that theytypically eat are rice balls flavoredwith seamsame seeds and pineneedles and Korean pancakes(which are basically deep friedmeat and vegetables) which are allwashed down with a bit of riceliquor.
More Thanksgiving in other
countries
For the holiday thanksgiving in The
Netherlands many historians have argued that
thanksgiving may have been inspired by Drie
Oktober, this is a holiday on the 3rd of October it
celebrates a military victory in the city of Leiden,
where many pilgrims lived before immigrating to
England. Thanksgiving is now celebrated in a
Leiden church that the pilgrims freguented, in
honor of these hardy, idealist settlers.
In Germany they call
thanksgiving (Erntedank).
Thanksgiving usually
takes place on the first
Sunday in October, they
have been doing this
since 1972. They will
typically celebrate it in a
church.
So next time you are
eating food for thanksgiving
you could think about how
people in other countries
are celebrating it!
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What It's Like Having Divorced
Parents
-Aaliyah Favorite
Having divorced parents can be both good and bad. There are also many reasons why having divorced
parents can be better.
Some positive effects from divorce can be the arguing stops, the family is not as tense as it used to be,
and if your “mature” according to the judge you get to pick which parent you would prefer to be with more,
yes you usually do get 2 holidays but more the least you split holidays between parents.
There are also negative effects… Most of the negatives would be family traditions end, if you seem to
immature in the judges eyes you don’t get a choice on who you would rather live with.
Main reasons divorce happens is your parents just don’t love each other anymore, they just argue to
much, or in more times than most affairs.
The divorce rate for first marriages is around 40% and for second marriages its around 60%. Also if
your parents got divorced you have a higher rate of getting divorced as well.
For me my parents have been divorced for 6-7 years. For a majority of this time my mom wasn’t even
in my life because of choices she made, I completely lost contact with her and lived with just my dad. Just a
year ago my mom finally was able to step back into my life I remember refusing to speak with her for 3
months until I got forced to go a supervised visit now I have a new relationship with her.
On the other hand, I have a friend and her parents are recently going through divorce.
She has been a friend of mine since my parents got divorced actually. Her mom has already gone
through a divorce once and she never really knew her real dad. When I met her I only knew her step dad.
Every night she will keep me up to date on how she is doing compared to me it is not so good. Having
parents going through the first stage of divorce is super tense and upsetting because you see one parent
slowly moving out while the other is changing the way the house is.
In her case her step dad just went to a friend’s house and has not come home for a few days.
What Makes
People Happy?By Matthew
Lastine
A study out of 22,000 kids has shown that about
75% of them are bored and depressed with many of
their daily chores like school (Watson1). I can say from
the bottom of my heart that I don’t like waking up at 6
am every morning to crawl out of that early mist and
fog. It’s even a plus for me if I say goodmorning to my
teachers. Thinking about my bed and just about
everywhere else I could be instead of school is an easy
trap to get tangled in--but doing some simple things
daily can change how you view your situation and your
life.
Happiness comes and goes for a ton of people
because it is not exercised. Exercise is a way to retain
something like muscle or in this case happiness.
“Research (and common sense) suggests that one aspect
of the Thanksgiving season can actually lift the spirits,
and it’s built right into the holiday- expressing
gratitude.” writes one member of Harvard Health
Publishing. This shows one of the key aspects of being
happy, gratitude. Gratitude allows you to think of the
small things in your life that really make a difference
like food on your table or a roof over your head. Jason
Breslow of PBS.org writes, “...in a new experimental
formula the number of children living in poverty falls
to 13.4 million.” I live a good lifestyle with resources to
meet my needs but take these for granted, not
understanding how lucky I am and making more
excuses for why I’m unhappy--but a lot of kids don’t
have those resources and are even happier than I am
regardless of what they own or have even if they live
below the poverty line. We complain about where we
live what we have and where we go to school because
it’s easy;It’s always easier to complain but makes you
even more miserable so choose to be thankful.
Harvard Health publishing also writes that some things
you can do to exercise your gratitude are, write a thank
you note, keep a gratitude journal, pray, and count your
blessings. Doing these things weekly can help you stay
satisfied and content with your life regardless the
situation you are in.
If you just took 30 seconds out of your day to count
your blessings I’m sure you would feel lightened and
look for the hidden opportunities that may be buried
under the stress and complaints that seem
everywhere--even if you were going to a new school
or on call for everyone at the office, there is always
something to be thankful for.
Taking a break from your routine activities and
relaxing can help as well. “In another study,
researchers in Finland found that urban dwellers who
strolled for as little as 20 minutes through an urban
park or woodland had significantly more stress relief
than those who strolled in a city center.” says Jill Suite,
a psychologist from Greater Good Magazine by
Berkeley. Getting out into real nature can really, really
destress your thoughts and create a mental stillness in
your mind. Studying at the end of the year for tests is a
severely large pain to deal with and I can say this from
experience. I waste gobs of time just sitting there
trying to think but I am usually roasted after school.
After sitting for an hour or so I end up finally going
outside and running around which gives my brain the
break it needs to continue working. Once you are
refreshed and ready, the task at hand seems much
easier and I tend to fly through it. And remember,
your life doesn’t revolve around school, so take a
hike.
Being happy may not be the easiest thing to do daily. I
often feel swamped with school just drowning every
day into a pit of work--where happiness does not
reside nor exist. Even though these feelings may seep
into my thinking habits I have the option to open my
door and accept them in their ignorance or reject the
inevitable doom they offer. Detesting your life's duties
won’t make anything better so choose to have an
attitude of gratitude and better your situation, instead
of whining about it. Life throws curveballs at you all
the time and they may get you down but don’t get in a
slump, take some time, talk with your family, pray,
and be grateful for what you have and your world will
change in every way for the better.
My Grandfather, the Rocket Boy
By, Nicholas Johnson
I have always been fascinated by space and
the concept of spaceflight. I am a “Star Trek” fan; I
have always enjoyed learning about the cosmos.
As many of my fellow 9th graders know we have
been reading “The Rocket Boys” about Homer
Hickam Jr. While I never knew any of the boys in
this book, but it has inspired me to talk with the
"rocket boy" in our family.
My grandfather, John Anderson, has always
shared with me many of his adventures involving
air and space, and I enjoy listening. He actually
worked with a company that contracted with
NASA on many of their projects. We share many of
the same interests which has created a special
bond between us. In November I had the pleasure
of interviewing him on many of his opinions on the
space program within the United States. Having
worked on the external tank and space shuttle
thruster units himself he has a great deal of
knowledge and experience involving the actual
vehicle itself. I asked him about what pushed him
or inspired him to become associated with the
space program and he told me that he had just
always had an interest in propulsion, jet engines,
and the engineering aspect of it all. Engineer from
birth it’s no wonder he went on to work for Martin
(soon to become Martin Marietta) after serving in
the military for a short period. While he worked
for this company he was involved on many other
missiles and spacecraft other than just the space
shuttle. It has always fascinated me the extensive
knowledge he has on some of the spacecraft we
have used to explore the world that lies outside of
our atmosphere. I view the space program as
highly beneficial to the United States.
Many of us in my family, and I’m sure there
were more than a few people in the country, were
saddened to learn of the decommissioning of the
shuttle on July 21, 2011.
I remember watching the last launch on
television and understanding that a big change
was happening , even though at the time I was
only eight years old. During my interview I
asked my grandpa what his opinions on
developing a new manned spacecraft to
replace the shuttle and his immediate
response was “they should never have shut
down the space shuttle” He explained to me
multiple things that a manned space flight is
good for and emphasized that NASA could put
forth their efforts to create a more efficient
spacecraft in place of the shuttle. As a space
enthusiast myself I believe that the space
program is very valuable to help us learn more
about the unknown vastness surrounding our
world. “I think it’s worthwhile because there
are a lot of uncertainties in space and is a
means of keeping track of that stuff” was what
he replied when I asked about his opinion on
the continuation of space exploration here in
the United States.
I believe we must continue studying and
learning more about the vastness of space that
surrounds our planet and discover what lies
beyond our world. My grandpa told me that
what we do know will help determine what
happens in terms of space travel in the future.
He told me that if lengthy space voyages ever
came around, it would be useful to know what
planets sustain life. I think we will eventually
reach these travels, maybe not in my lifetime
but it will happen. We must always continue to
stare up at the sky and wonder about what
goes on up their and learn all we can.
“Telescopes can help us understand farther
and farther out from our planet”, my grandpa
concluded. No one I know is as true a rocket
boy than my grandfather, and I was lucky to be
able to get to know him better with this
interview. “Space. The final frontier” -Captain
Jame
NFL Players taking aknee
Why are NFL players taking a knee?Players are protesting the injustices
people of color still face in America today.“Colin Kaepernick said “I am not going tostand up to show pride in a flag for a countrythat oppresses black people, and people ofcolor. To me, this is bigger than football.
What does the government think about NFLplayers taking a knee?
Donald Trump himself had something tosay about Colin Kaepernick protesting theNational Anthem. Trump said “Get that son ofa b**** off the field right now, he’s fired.”Trump also said “If a player wants theprivilege of making millions of dollars in theNFL, or other leagues, he or she should not beallowed to disrespect our Great AmericanFlag and should stand for the NationalAnthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED.”
What are the consequencesPeople all over the United States have
been protesting the National Anthem andhave had people suspended. NFL playershave even influenced high school kids whichgot them kicked off the team in front of theirteammates right before a high school game.
This has also influence more and morepeople through each sport to kneel for thenational anthem. It’s really childish and issetting a bad example, there are otherways to protest.
Will they keep taking a knee?The league tried to tell NFL players to
stop kneeling but that didn’t work so theirnext move was to bribe them with 100million dollars and even that failed. Butnow the coaches have threatened theplayers that they will not play if theykneel for the National Anthem. Now lessand less people have been kneeling forthe National Anthem.
My opinionI think that kneeling for the NationalAnthem is extremely stupid and childishand that it shouldn’t be allowed. Iunderstand that the people have the rightto speak and have their opinion butdisrespecting the flag shouldn’t beallowed.
-Armony Trujillo
ReadingEpidemic
By,Emily Staton
Hey, you! Yeah you! Do you read? No, I mean so you pick up a book, read it, from cover to cover, andunderstand it? I would bet that you don’t. A study done by Statistic Brain Research Institute shows that only56% of young people have read more than 10 books last year. 46% of college graduates never picked up abook after they graduated. From all the books any person has started, 57% of them are never finished.
I, Emily Staton, am an avid reader. I finish about 50 books each year. That’s probably over the top andcompletely bibliophilic of me; I don’t expect you to read that many books. When there are people whodon’t even read 10 books a year, I thinks it’s safe to claim that this is a reading epidemic. That 44% of youthat can’t pick up a book, like some of my friends, we have to talk. I will tell you all the ways reading willimprove your life, of course, once you start reading, like smarts, fame, and kindness.
For starters, reading is proven to make you smarter. The article 8 Benefits of Reading (or WaysReading Makes You Better at Life) written by Glen Stansberry on LifeDev said, “Those that read havehigher GPA’s, higher intelligence, and general knowledge than those that don’t.” Also, teachers do happento give books out, and not just in ELA. Why? Because they are educational. I’m sure you’ve noticed that,but hopefully not dreaded it. Andrew Perrin with the Pew Research Center wrote, “Less educated adults areleast likely to own smartphones or tablets” which have been useful for reading e-books, especially since2011. If anyone has access to all types of books, then they are more likely to read those books and learnsomething from them. If someone is less educated, than they have probably read less books. I happen to belucky enough to have access to most books, and though I mostly read paper ones, I’d say that they havedefinitely helped me learn something.
For those of you that don’t know (like me), Mark Cuban is a billionaire, an American businessman,investor, author, television personality, and philanthropist. You may have seen him on some popular showslike Shark Tank. Of course, Bill Gates is the co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation. Elon Musk, amongother things, is the co-founder, CEO and Product Architect at Tesla, working to make cars and other formsof transportation cleaner for the environment. He also was a cofounder of PayPal. He also launchedSpaceX, a private company focused on rebooting the space industry-this could probably go on forever. Mr.Musk is a guy with a lot of money and a big imagination. Now, before you get to confused as to why I amtelling you about three famous men that everyone (except me) knew about, I’m trying to say that reading isalso approved by well-educated famous people. The article, 2 science-backed ways reading fiction makesyou smarter by Marguerite Ward published by CNBC, saying that, “Mark Cuban credits "TheFountainhead" with his strong work ethic,” Bill Gates will often include a novel in his semi-annual bookrecommendations, showing the captivating characters or beautiful prose, and “Elon Musk says readingnovels like "Lord of the Flies" and the science fiction book "Foundation" helped shape his worldview”(Ward 1). It isn’t proven that if you read you are more likely to become famous but as said before, if youread you are most likely smarter and if you're smarter than you can probably become famous easier.
Lastly, but definitely not least, is that if someone is kind, or thoughtful, it might mean that they read. Anew study, done by Kingston University in London, reported by Sarah Young with The Independent, saysthat “reading regularly could make you kinder and more empathetic..” First, 123 people were asked theirpreferences for books, TV and plays, then tested one interpersonal skills, which are how well a personrelates, communicates, how much they care for other people’s feelings, and whether they act to help
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relates, communicates, how much they care for other people’s feelings, and whether they act to help others.The study shows that while “readers were more likely to act in a socially acceptable manner” (Young 1)“TV lovers came across as less friendly and less understanding of others’ views” (Young 1). The study didnot prove cause-and-effect because it could have just been that more thoughtful people prefer reading.Though perhaps if you found and read a book you might like, you might find yourself thinking a bit more. Ifyou are a thoughtful person, and do read, then I am proud of you. Your life will most likely be bettered bythat.Since this is an essay about reading, I figured that I better give some guidance about what to read. I readmostly fiction or fantasy, which have helped me escape to a different reality. The Twilight series was one ofmy favorites from fiction. The magic in the Harry Potter series as well as the mythology in the PercyJackson series entrapped me, willingly, in a different universe. I also enjoy some sci-fi, which really got myimagination rolling on what could happen in the future. The Gone series and Maximum Ride series weretwo of my favorites. I have recently started reading memoirs. They are true, enthralling stories. The GlassCastle blew me away while Med Head expanded my view of people with mental disorders. If you do want tolearn something, I’d definitely recommend non-fiction. If you're more visual based, I’d recommend graphicnovels. If you’re unsure, then just read a whole lot of books from different genres to help you find yourstyle.
Now, although this report could have been a bit long, I hope I have portrayed, without offending youtoo much, that reading is important and will better your life. Because it is and will. I truly am a devotedreader. I think it would be safe to say that I can make stupid mistakes, I don’t always and usually learn fromthem. Also, while I might not be famous, I definitely approve reading. I do fancy myself to be kindsometimes too. Whether or not you were a true reader before this report, I hope it will convince you thatreading isn’t too bad and that you should read because it will change your life for the better.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Should video games be sports?By, Ryan Davis
As videogames become more and more popular, tournaments and
professional gamers rapidly expanding, it raises the question that a lot of
people are for, and against. Should video games be sports? What exactly
defines a sport, and should it be redefined? According to Oxford’s
Dictionary, a sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill
where an individual or team competes against another or others for
entertainment. This doesn’t exactly fit the bill, but let’s see what other
non-physical sports have to say about that.
That’s right, I said non-physical, sports. Chess, Shogi, other competitive
board games are considered sports simply because of the amount of
brainpower it requires and people play it for sport. Even if you argue that
Chess shouldn’t be a sport either, it still has extremely competitive
leagues that are held bi-annually, which also adds to our new definition
of sports. An activity need simply be done for sport to be considered one.
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Along with using your brain to win at gaming, you also need to think quickly instead of elaborately
planning your next move. Thinking quickly and staying on your toes is an added effect that video games add
that both board games and even sports don’t take to the extreme, as reaction time is one of the only things
keeping you from losing in most fighting and shooter games. This means we can definitely keep the skill
part of Oxford’s definition, because of the excessive hand eye coordination and practice it requires to
become even slightly adequate.
Video games also are becoming sources of income for some professional gamers as Robert Morris
University announced that they would be granting scholarships to League of Legends players because top
players get pretty hefty paychecks if you know what I mean. According to League of Legends Smurfs, the
average amount a LOL player makes is 75,000 dollars a year! Professional Call of Duty players get hundreds
of thousands of dollars per month and according to Keshav of Charlie Intel, in the 2016 Call of Duty
championships the prize pool was 1.6 million dollars. Fighting games like Street Fighter and Super Smash
Bros. have many tournaments and professionals that win lots of money as well. Although these are
considered poor man’s sports, professional Smash Four player ZeRo states “I’d say right now, I’m in the forty
k range a year.” This is roughly what the average American makes, so it isn’t half bad.
I also believe that another reason why people don’t consider video games to be sports is that video
games simply didn’t exist when sports were what they were. People figured sports had to be physical
because that was the only thing there was to do. Now however, video games are on the rise and it’s time to
give them the acknowledgement they deserve.
I, and many others, believe video games should be recognized as sports because of their competitive
leagues, the income pro gamers receive, how Chess and other board games are already sports, and because
video games exist now and sports had already been defined before their existence. So I declare a new
definition for sports; to set things right within the world of competitive games. A sport need only be
competitive and played for sport to be considered, a sport. Stay righteous broskis.
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A picture from "Super Smash
Bros 4", reacting to your
opponent's moves is essential
to victory!
Food, Stress, and
Professionals
Gardening, swimming, writing,
reading- fun activities right? Well they
can also help relieve stress, anything
that you enjoy can relieve stress and you
might need that more than you think.
Health is an important part of everyone
basic life. Physical health is common
thing to worry about. Diet, and exercise
are important; we as a society tend to
overlook our mental health. Positive
mental health allows people to; realize
their full potential, cope with the
stresses of life, work productively, and
make meaningful contributions to their
communities.
Ways to maintain positive mental health
include: Getting professional help if you
need it, connecting with others, Staying
positive, Getting physically active,
Helping others, Getting enough sleep,
Developing coping skills. Here are a few
steps in the right direction to a happier,
healthier life.
The 1st step for a better mental
health is to talk about your emotions and
keep all lines of communication open:
humans thrive on face to face interaction
or any interaction at all, talking about
your feeling or keeping a journal can also
help you, “Gain a different perspective
that can help you look at things in a
different way or find solutions.”
(yourmentalhealth.ie) Talking about you
feelings can be difficult and cheesy but
“Confide in someone you trust such as your
partner, a family member, a friend or
neighbor. People will listen and give you
support if you let them know how you’re
feeling.It might also help the people you
care about – if you open up about your
feelings, they might do the same. Even
being in other people’s company can
help.”(yourmentalhealth.ie).
That’s right! Caring for others can
boost your mental health, putting you
and the receiver in a better mood.
“Research has shown that giving a
gift to someone else has been linked
to an increased self-esteem, self-
worth, and feelings of social
connection with the recipient. Even
among animals, caretaking behaviors,
such as grooming, can be linked to
lower stress levels and fewer
anxiety-related behaviors.”
(Association for Psychological
Science,).
Another step is to have good
physical health, and I’m am not
saying try to be skinny, I’m saying
you should take care of yourself.
Eating healthy, good proportions, and
exercise often to keep your body
balanced and your mind at ease.
Exercising regularly can boost your
self-esteem and help you sleep
better. Exercising can also help you
focus, look, and feel better. Eat
good, energizing foods like, beans,
cantaloupe, strawberries, mango,
spinach, salmon, nuts, tea, tomatoes,
soy, low fat dairy products, oatmeal,
whole grains, citrus fruit, peppers,
and sweet potatoes.(google) You will
feel better mentally when you’re
physically healthy.
The 3rd step in bettering your
mental health is to take a break. I
know it sounds strange but, say you
are studying for hours or cleaning,
or even at work. If and when possible
take a few minutes to go on a walk,
“Taking a break can easy stress,
boost productivity and creativity."
(Selig).
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The 4th step is to take time and do
something you’re good at or something
you love-gardening, swimming, writing,
reading, the list goes on! “Doing
activities you enjoy... and achieving
something will boost your self-
esteem.”(yourmentalhealth.ie) Also
found on, Psychology Today, by Neel
Burton M.D, “Thinking better of
yourself and paying special attention
to yourself and surroundings- hygiene
and cleanness, not to mention you’re
eating habits- will boost your self-
esteem.”
The 5th step is to both accept who
are and above all ask for help.
Although easier said than done
accepting who you are is a given; I
suggest visiting the website below to
start accepting yourself.
If you need help or are struggling
and don’t have person to go to
please text the Crisis Text line
number found at the site below. Of
course this is only necessary if you
do need help there are always ways
to deal with issues without a doctor
or specialist.
All in all, these are a few
helpful steps to help your mental
health, these may not work for
everyone but it is a good try for a
good cause, what bad ever came out
of trying.
-Cadence Fickett
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Webtoon!
Chapter books or Comic books? The Wedtoon app is an online collection of comicbooks. Wedtoon allows people from all over the world to read and publish comic books.On Wedtoon there is a variety of genres advancer, fantasy, comedy, action, and more.Some advantages for reading Wedtoon comics is YOU chose what you want to read, mostcomics are still being made so you have new episode every week (depending on when theauthor uploads).
Another advantage of reading the Wedtoon app is you can read it on your phone so itis much easier to read because you don’t have to go to a library to get the next episode it’sjust in your pocket, and there is no restriction on how many sires you can subscribe to. Ifyou want to be a creator you don’t even have to draw as well as the 4 above. Like theadvancers of god (comedy).
By Ryan Gardner
Whats It's Like to be
LGBTQSBy Name Needed
Info: Gifts is abbreviated or short for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and straight.The “LGB” in this term refers to sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is defined as an
often enduring pattern of emotional, romantic and/or sexual attractions of men to women or
women to men (heterosexual), of women to women or men to men (homosexual), or by men or
women to both sexes (bisexual).
It also refers to an individual’s sense of personal and social identity based on those
attractions, related behaviors and membership in a community of others who share those
attractions and behaviors.
Some people who have same-sex attractions or relationships may identify as “queer,” or,
for a range of personal, social or political reasons, may choose not to self-identify with these or
any labels.
I In my life I feel outlasted by most of my family I came out about 8 months ago and ever
since then I felt ashamed to be gay, like I’m not meant to be alive but every day I come to
school and see my friends and they're what help me get through my life everyday but somedays
it's stressful and I build up so much anxiety, since then I’ve tried to change my personality and
be more friendly and positive not caring what people say about me or think and only carrying
what my friends say and think it helps a lot but one of my biggest struggles is being asked why
why am I gay they ask if I had a choice and I tell them I didn't choose to be this way I didn't
choose to be different. In the hallways it's rough for me I get strange looks from people and
sometimes random people slap places I feel feel like shouldn't be touched and it makes me feel
bad and uncomfortable like I shouldn't be here and some people may say I’m suffering from
depression and that may be the case but I try to be happy every day and forget about the bad
things in life and most days I do but another thing that helps me is music and for some people
music is a way to express themselves without being judged and sometimes I like to do that to
help with my stress.
In my opinion I think and feel that people think it's easy to be gay everyone accepts you
and that life's good but for most people that's not the case. Life is not always easy for gays they
have trouble feeling accepted by family friends and the world and it's hard for gays because a
lot of people, religions and families don't accept gays in school it's not as hard but it can be
with bullies and others sometimes you'll have friends who don't really accept you and might
make fun of you for being gay it's a hard life and most the time you won't be happy.
My Life
It's not Always Easy
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Coming Out
Coming out is for some people is hard they think that their families might disown them and
some do that's why it's scary but the more they stay in the closet the more sad and hard there life
is before I came out I felt depressed and I even for a little shut out my friends I felt alone like
nobody knew what I was going through and that I might never be happy I even got in fights with
my family about the topic making it harder for me to bring it up and come out but the day I did
come out I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and like I was finally normal I had
friends who supported me the last thing I need to do was come out to my family and when I did
it was hard adapting to the awkward standard most of my family didn't accept me besides my
mom who told me no matter what she'd love me.
Some people fall into depression after coming out and feel like nobody knows or
understands you I know that because it happened to me I felt like I’d never understand what I’d
be like to be normal until I found out that there was no normal and just to be who you are don't
care about what people think and only care about what you think and what your friends think
that’s how I got over my depression and I’ve never felt better being with my friends but
sometimes it gets hard for me and I feel depressed but my friends are always there to cheer me
up.
Relationships; Can be hard to find and confusing not knowing if someone is straight gay or
bi it's an even bigger struggle in school for kids and it can be difficult I should know because it's
been difficult for me so I try to ignore relationships and continue life as it is but some people
can't and feel like they need someone in their life because they feel something missing in their
life and try most succeed and others fail.
In some school’s kids are bullied for being gay or lesbian or trans making them feel like the
one safe place they have is not safe after all at home they could be getting disowned or not
accepted and bullies make that worse that's why I wanted to share this project with all of you to
help my cause to make Friuta 8,9 a safer place for everyone.
Depression
Relationships
Bullying