Bullying

Bullying has been taken to a whole new level that’s become quite dangerous. The “telling an adult” or “just ignore, they will eventually stop” method does not work and has the potential to make matters worse. Being bullied is degrading to a person’s self-esteem. It “kills their souls” as my CCD director once told my confirmation class.

With all of our new technology such as cell phones, computers, and ipods with internet, bullying has the ability to be with a person even after the school day is done. Children don’t just get bullied at school but can also be bullied through these new electronic devices. Writing mean and degrading remarks over social networking sites can instantly cause hurt feelings. A secret, insecurity, or a family problem can be public information within seconds. In the victim’s eyes, there truly is no way out.

It is not uncommon to hear about kids taking their lives or threatening to take their lives because they feel there is no way out. Two 11 year old boys hung themselves after constantly being bullied at school. These two boys mothers were on the Oprah Winfrey show in May of 2009. These women explained how the scheduled weekly appointments with the guidance counselor to meet with there son, they joined PTO, and tried to comfort their boys as best as they could. Neither mothers would have ever thought their sons would take their own lives.

A person who witnesses the bully in the act is called a bystander. Bystanders are just as bad as bullies to not prevent bullying before their eyes. Bullying is looked at as “simply teasing” but that’s not the case. Stepping in and simply sticking up for the person can literally save someone’s life. At my church retreat, a speaker included a story about a jock and a nerd that was really inspiring. The jock and his friends were all walking home from school one day. The nerd dropped all of his books and the jock Josh picked up his books for him and helped him carry them home. They walked home everyday from then on and became really good friends. At graduation a few years later Ben the nerd made his valedictorian speech and included his best friend Josh. He explained how Josh saved his life when he picked up his books and stood up for him against what his friends thought were cool. That day he cleaned out his locker and planned on killing himself that afternoon but he realized that he wasn’t alone.

Josh’s, Ben’s, and Josh’s friends walk the halls of school everyday. Adults need to be aware of what’s going on and try to stop it in any way possible. Prevention programs should be created not only for people who get bullied but also the bullies themselves. There is always an underlying problem that there insecure about, reason why they bully. Fewer bullies, fewer problems. Next time instead of being the bystander you can step in and save a life, literally.

Kayla O. is a student at SHS.

Our School is Falling Apart!

Any Somerset resident, and probably residents in surrounding towns, have heard these words spoken over and over again. Why? Because they are true.

Over the past ten years, Somerset High School’s building has been slowly falling apart. Leaks, pipes bursting, boiler problems, and even a collapsing wing of the school are only a few of the problems that have occurred at SHS. For months, students have had to go without classrooms. Bathrooms have been taken away due to unsafe situations. Early dismissals have taken place resulting from problems in the school that could not be taken care of quickly. When the structure of the disintegrating building was inspected, special masks had to be worn so that people would not ingest the poisonous substances that were decaying inside of it.

On February 1st, 2010, an article in the South Coast Spectator read “Students go home early because of heat problem.” On that day, the English office, the English hallway, and the graphics hallway of the school were blocked off due to leaking in the pipes. Actually, it was more like flooding. In fact, it was legitimately raining. Pipes that led to the heater in our school were turned off for the weekend due to a leak that was found on that Saturday. Of course, no one was told about it because the janitors and school committee just hope that it goes away. They all agreed with James Kiely when he stated, “What we're doing now is hoping nothing happens.” Seeing that the weekend they were shut down was the coldest weekend so far, the water in the pipes froze. When the heat was turned back on the following Monday, it would not start. The pipes started to leak and eventually burst, resulting in a huge flood. The water flowed down like a waterfall through the lights in the ceilings and down through lockers. Students were asked to evacuate the “raining” parts of the building and try to find their way to their other classes, if they were safe. Even though it was a bright, sunny day outside, it was a horrible rainstorm inside Somerset High. Student’s belongings were damaged as a result of water flowing from the ceiling into their lockers along with certain possessions in the English office. Kids as well as teachers had to wear their gloves, hats and winter coats to keep from shivering. As students in other schools sat in warm classrooms learning and working, students at Somerset High School sat in the freezing auditorium for hours, waiting until an announcement was made for early dismissal. So shouldn’t Somerset get a new high school?

According to certain school board members, the answer is no. In their minds, it should not even be a question. Supposedly, according to Victor Machado, “the Massachusetts School Building Authority and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are trying to bully the town into forming a regional school district by saying the state will only provide money for a new high school building if Somerset and Berkley form a regional school district.” To most Somerset and Berkley residents, they would disagree. McKayla Costa, a SHS student from Somerset, explained that regionalization is a very good idea. She said “Somerset has been with Berkley for so long that regionalizing with the town won’t change much. It is definitely a reasonable idea and will have an excellent outcome on the students.” Willem Matheson, a SHS student from Berkley, also agrees with McKayla that regionalization is definitely a great idea. He states, “Berkley needs a high school in general and Somerset definitely needs a new building. They’re just wasting their time by not regionalizing and soon enough the school will get even worse.” I bet every single student at Somerset High School would agree to that!

By “forgetting the problems” at Somerset High School, the problems will keep getting worse and worse. The metal walls of the boilers are extremely thin and the valves could pop any minute, creating many more problems. This could cause an extremely heavy flood and the students at SHS would be out of school for days and even maybe weeks. Who’s going to get a proper education then? Mr. Kiely stated, “You don't know when it's going to happen again and it could happen at any time.” It will then cost Somerset and Berkley over 175,000 dollars to repair the boilers. If we decide to regionalize, the state will pay about 66% of the funding and will not cost as much for the town. Sadly, it seems as if the townspeople do not have much of a say on the subject and that the school committee is making all the decisions on the regionalization issue. Of course, their answer is a no.

“We are being forced into regionalization and I have made up my mind that it is a horrible idea,” stated Victor Machado at a town meeting. Who said he has all the say? As of right now, the Somerset school committee are the only people who seem to have a definite answer of “no” to regionalization, but most Berkley and Somerset residents say “yes”! In my opinion, I believe the Somerset school committee is just being selfish because they simply do not want to let Berkley have a say in anything.

On Wednesday, February 24, 2010, Somerset High School continued to leak. On that day, the art department had a huge flood, the gym was leaking from the ceiling, and most parts of the school were dripping and having to be repaired. The answer to regionalization and a new school is still a “no”.

And the problems continue to get worse.

Ali R. is a junior at SHS.


Sources:
· http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100210/PUB05/2100378
· http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100203/PUB05/2030440

New Moon: What do you think?

Deidra B. is a student at SHS


What’s the best movie you’ve seen in 2009? Well according to the millions of viewers of New Moon. The Twilight saga, it’s the best movie of the century!


The Twilight Saga New Moon by Stephenie Meyer is about a girl named Bella who had moved to Forks, Washington to live with her father. Bella Swan had been living in forks for about two years. While her first year there she had met a handsome but unusual boy named Edward Cullen. Soon Bella finds she is falling in love and learns Edwards’s dark secret. In the movie New Moon, on Bella’s 18th birthday, Edwards’s brother almost kills Bella because of an accidental paper cut. Soon Edward finds that whenever Bella is around him, she seems to be in danger. Edward decides to leave Forks and Bella is heartbroken. While Edward is gone Bella’s handsome friend Jacob Black, the wolf, ends up making Bella fall in love with him. But Soon Bella finds out that Edward thinks she has killed herself, and tries to go to the volturi to kill himself. In the movie the volturi were a group of vampire minions who enforce the rules that the other vampires must follow, the volturi are supposed to be a very powerful group of vampires. In the end Bella saves Edward and he asks Bella to marry him.

Though the movie New moon is interesting on its own, I would also recommend that you read all of the books in order before watching the movies. I say this because though there aren’t many differences between them it’s always good to have a bit of back round on the story before diving into the details. These books are significant because I thought that they explained and gave many details of the storyline, not only were the books informational they were also very interesting. I think that the books explained all of the characters perfectly and the books pulls the people in and make it hard to stop reading.

Many of the fans have said that this movie is one of the best they’ve ever seen. But I want to know what you think! …

In my opinion I think that the movie was very interesting, and I think the actors played the characters very well, I also liked this movie because it could appeal to all ages. The only thing that I thought was not as good as the first movie, twilight, was the soundtrack. Other than that minor detail I thought the movie was phenomenal.

Stephan Jenkins: Rise to Fame

Kendra P., 16, is a student at SHS.


At least once in everyone’s lives, you’ve caught yourself doing the typical “singing in the shower”, “dancing in your underwear”, or “singing into a hairbrush”, when no one was watching. You’ve even been alone, singing along to the radio, and wondered, “Imagine if I sang on the radio? Imagine if I was the one who made millions of people smile with my voice?” A dream that is almost always considered “far-fetched” or “nearly impossible” to a majority of people in America. Stephan Jenkins, along with the rest of the population, is guilty of once thinking being a star is something close to impossible.


Stephan Douglas Jenkins, born on September 27, 1964, in Oakland, California, raised briefly in Wisconsin, but mostly in Palo Alto, California, became, and is now, one of the most unforgettable, successful, adored alternative artists in the world. With deep brown hair and rich green eyes, Stephan Jenkins found his way to steal the hearts of millions with the help of his band members in his band Third Eye Blind. At age 5, Stephan was found banging on pots and pans on his kitchen floor, and “composing” original works. By age 9, he was given a drum set where he began to really get himself enthralled with music, but didn’t expect it to go anywhere at all; thus investing in his future career as a marine biologist. Not yet satisfied, he even tried the trumpet, but couldn’t read the notes. “Everyone said I was pretty much un-teachable,” Stephan remembers. Growing up, Stephan attended Gunn High School, in his hometown Palo, California, and graduated in the class of ’83. With a degree of literature, Stephan then continued onto college and attended the University of Berkeley graduating in ’87, being the valedictorian of his class, which was an incredible accomplishment, knowing that he overcame dyslexia has a child.


Following making his degree, he reluctantly followed his dream and became a solo musician in San Fransisco. For Stephan, that wasn’t enough. He decided to pull together a band, and go for the gold. Lineups after lineups failed, and the odds weren’t in Stephan’s favorite. Former Fungo Muno bassist, Arion Salazer, came across Stephan's path one day and the two decided to name their newly formed band Third Eye Blind, in reference to the metaphysical concept of a third eye.Coincidentally, at one of the band's first shows, developing student and guitarist, Kevin Cadogan, introduced himself to the Jenkins and easily became part of Third Eye Blind in late 1995, along with his friend Brad Hargreaves, former drummer of the band Counting Crows. The band, in full swing, starting working on finding an image, began getting major attention by major-labels through his producation of the Braid's cover of the band Queen's original piece, "Bohemian Rhapsody," which unexpectedly did a lot for Stephan and his band. Stephan couldn't believe it; before he knew it, he was signing a publishing deal, which was reported to be the largest deal ever presented to an unreleashed artist. Playing frequently in the Bay-State, Stephan and his band attracted the public with their 14-track demo, making their way to open for their first big show for Oasis in 1996 at the Civic Auditorium. This concert was an undeniable success, rewarding the band with an encore Stephan never dreamed of. To barely anyone's surprise, the band signed with Elektra/Asylum, allowing them the artistic freedom they longed for. Stephan was made the band's producer, and with this authority his band made their debut in San Fransico with the help of Eric Valentine, who helped them earlier work on their other demos. Making Stephan's dreams come true, the self-titled Third Eye Blind was released in 1997, and by that summer, "Semi-Charmed Life" became an off-the-charts hit, followed by "How's It Going To Be" and "Jumper." The words could hardly come off of Stephan's lips, that his band and himself had broke into the Billboard Top 200 and remained there for over a year, making the name for themselves as one of the most popular bands of the 90's.Their next album, Blue, made it's way in 1999 and sold 150,000 copies within a month of releasing it. It was claimed as the band's strongest album, but what really seemed to steal the hearts of fans was "Never Let You Go," which seemed the be the most popular song compared to Stephan's first singles. Stephan and his band began to play for charity causes, such as shows in support of Tiger Woods Foundation and Breathe, a performance that promoted breast cancer awareness. In 2003, the release of Out of the Vein was the least successful of the three albums. Returning to the drawing board, Jenkins had some altercations with writer's block, which in turn prolonged the release of their new album for six years, but in the mean-time Stephan and his band put together a collection of their greatest hits in 2006, and continued a tour to keep their oldest hits alive. And recently in 2009, Third Eye Blind debuted their newest album, "Ursa Major", a long time coming for their die-hard fans.


It's evident that Stephan Jenkins' life was drastically changed because of his rising fame, and it's even more evident that he wouldn't have had it any other way. Or was it? Stephan had the life, great band members, adoring fans, and all the riches and fame that came along with being a popular artist. But all that glitters wasn't gold, and Stephan found a way to hold it together. In 1998, after ending a relationship with Craig Bierko, actress Charlize Theron became Stephan Jenkins girlfriend, evidently changing her interest from actors to musicians. Their relationship was more than Stephan could ask for, until 2001 when demise quickly came. It wasn't that Stephan didn't want her anymore or anything of that nature, it was the topic of marriage. It was the typical case of "girl wants to get married, guy doesn't" and Charlize began to look else where. Being the rising star that Jenkins was, it was almost impossible to settle down and make a commitment as drastic as that of marriage. Not only was it the troubles of marriage, but being enthralled in stardom, it wasn't very difficult to have a steady girlfriend without the public's panties in a bunch. Jenkins recalls, "To have everything exposed makes you feel a little strange. But I learned a lot from Charlize, actually. I learned that you cannot put the relationship second. Because love is not enough." But that wasn't the last stop on the love train for Jenkins, in 2002, Stephan Jenkins begins dating Vanessa Carlton, a very talented musician. Together, the two, as Carlton puts it, created a child, a child of music. "Heroes and Thieves" was produced by Jenkins, and the two, after dating for four years, for un identified reasons drifted apart in their own directions, heartbreaking for the two of them, nonetheless. Could it be the music industry that tore them apart? Highly likely, but all Stephan was sure of was that he made a fantastic friend along the way. Relationships weren't the only roadblock for this rising star, Stephan also experienced hard times within the relationships of his band members. The original four: himself, Kevin Codagon, Brad Hargreaves, and Arion Salazer, weren't the original four for much longer. After Codagon's final performance at Sundance Film Festival in 2000, drummer Brad Hargreaves was the one to break the news to Codagon that he had been fired from the band. This was a difficult time for the entire band, especially with a lawsuit being put on Stephan and his band, for an undisclosed amount of money, although Codagon quotes, "I was always in it for the music, not the money." Despite the demise, Jenkins and the remaining band members only wished the best for Kevin and his future success. For whatever reason Kevin had been fired, it was evident that he must be replaced. In turn, Tony Fredianelli replaced Codagon, being the best replacement Third Eye Blind could have chosen. Stressed and in need of taking it easy, the newly reformed band took a breather for two years, with their newest member, and put most of their focus on charity shows and things less drastic. But this wasn't the end of the topsy-tervy misfortune Stephan was experiencing with his band mates, in 2006 Arion Salazer, bassist, began missing a lot of the Third Eye Blind's live shows. In an effort to save Salazer, a Third Eye Blind fan site, 3eb.co.uk - The Village Church Yard, encouraged fans of Salazar and the band to join in a letter writing campain addressed to Salazer, sending the letters to him in 2006. The loss of this band member was crucial, but the men appreciated his decision and understood where he was coming from. Jenkins reports, "We love Arion and he’s just had a lot of personal struggles. So the band is not a working place for him right now, but he did play bass and actually co-wrote a song called “Red Star” with me and I love that song. I think he’s very talented, but we’ll be having other people play bass with us. But it’s not because we don’t love Arion, because we really do." It was a solid thing to accept, but the band did, although the time Arion left was a time of struggle. After the release of Out of the Vein in 2003, it wasn't as much as a success as the previous albums, which lead into Jenkin's lengthy battle with writer's block prolonged the release of Ursa Major six years. This was a huge problem for Stephan and his band members, but in the mean time, they continued to support their success. When the release of Ursa Major finally came, they seemed to make their album theme a constellation of a bear. Stephan explains that the idea of the album cover is the long six years they were in hibernatioin, they are bears that have awoken and are hungry for success and are ready to break out all over again. Strong-willed bears they are, for they have become one of the most popular alternative bands with the most devoted fans the music industry has seen in a long time.


Stephan Jenkins has come a long way, and as he sees it, he always has a long way to go and is ready to accept the challenge. The music industry has brought him this far, and he explains, "Third Eye Blind was this band that was marketed and processed and packaged in a way that we didn’t really recognize. After all that marketing wore off, what you have left is a playlist. Fans discovered that in the ways that they do, which was very personal for them, and then they share it with each other. We had more people come to our shows this year than had ever come before." Stephan claims Ursa Major's songs were experimented in front of audiences at previous shows, and the reaction was phenominal. The album, he says, has a confident tone to it, which is an attractive quality it should have. Stephan is all about his lyrics, and his method is unique compared to other musicians. He writes whatever ideas occurs to him, and he makes the ideas rhythmic in his mind. He says, "That’s my primary mode of organizing some kind of emotion or provocation into a piece that makes that emotion travel." Surprisingly, Stephan seemed to have some trouble with lyrics for his new album. He says he has to feel the idea, or it doesn't work, even if he's been working on the lyrics for three years. Also, Jenkins finds himself in a completely different position than he was in the '90s, in a great way. The interest and sensitivy Third Eye Blind's producers had back then was nothing compared to what the band had in mind, and Stephan feels now-a-days, people with good music can go out and get it put out and it's eligible to find audiences in ways that weren't possible before. With the great success of Ursa Major taking full swing, Jenkins plans to come out with a follow up album, "Ursa Minor," hopefully thriving the fans the same way Jenkins and his men have for years on end.


Are you the person that's afraid to chase the dreams you have? Don't be ashamed, Stephan was that guy. Coming from the orange county, he didn't have a clue he'd be the risen star he is today. He's a popular, inspiring musician, along with in his earlier years, a sex symbol. Struggles come along with every success, but he wouldn't trade any of the bumps in the road for the world. Stephan Jenkins is living proof that following your heart down the path that's calling for you, is the only way to find a way.

Twilight: The Vampire Rage of the Century

Alison Ryan is a sophomore at Somerset High School


With her parents divorced and her mom wanting to travel with her baseball-player boyfriend, seventeen-year old Bella Swan decides to go live with her father in the small, dull town of Forks. There, she is a new person; a new face to discuss and observe how she'll fit in with everyone in the town. In Phoenix, Arizona, where she lived with her mom, the person she was did not completely blend in with the rest of the tan, popular crowd. But at Forks, everyone seemed to be fond of Bella immediately and the attention she was receiving from all the boys shocked her. One boy did catch her eye though; an outrageously beautiful creature who seemed almost too beautiful to be a normal human being. His name was Edward Cullen, and Bella fell in love instantly the moment their eyes first met. To the entire school, the Cullen's were untouchable; known to everyone as the outcasts and did not talk to anyone besides their own, unbelievably gorgeous-looking family. To Bella, they were remarkable and she suddenly had such a strong attraction to that one, striking boy.

To Edward, his desire for Bella was something he simply could not handle. His attraction was not like most teenagers his age; he was drawn not to her looks or her personality, but to her blood. Jacob Black, an old friend who's family is werewolves on their reservation, explained to Bella a "myth" about how the Cullen's were vampires and have been around for hundreds of years, dating back to even the 1600's. The Cullen's were different from the other vampire clans though, calling themselves " vegetarians" since they only fed on animals, not humans. But when Edward first spotted Bella, he had to use all his strength inside him to not completely attack her. The scent of her blood was so strong & appealing to him, he did not think he could handle it, but as time went on he got used to it and simply could not stand to be away from her any longer. At first, even her touch could set him off and turn into the monster he wished he would never be, but eventually her kiss was what he needed the most. The love between the two was unreal and so much stronger than any two people in the entire world. Unlike most humans, Bella was not frightened by him, his family, and the fact that in an instant she could be killed just by being near them. Her love for Edward controlled all other emotions and she never bothered to realize how much her life was in danger, especially to other vampires if they found out. One day, Edward brought Bella with him to his family baseball game to experience how incredibly talented they are with their special talents; fast running, extremely strong, etc. Once another pack of vampires overheard their game, they discovered they were coming to join. When they arrived, the Cullen’s tried to keep Bella as still and quiet as she could be. A breeze came along which brought Bella’s human scent streaming through the air, and the dangerous vampires thirsted for her blood. At that one second, reality swept over Bella and she froze due to how frightened she was at the actuality that they could kill her instantly. They started to hunt her, as the Cullen’s did everything they could to protect her. If or how Bella survived is only known to the die heart lovers of Twilight.

Each character in Twilight has something unique and exciting about them; something that makes us all Twilight lovers absolutely adore them! With Edward, he is simply ravishing. First of all, he is, in reality, 107 years old. But to everyone around him, he is only 17 years old. He has skin that glistens in the sun, eyes that change color due to his “hunger”, and a talent to read other people’s minds, except for Bella’s. His impossible beauty is so remarkable to other; his high cheekbones, muscular jaw line, and perfect lips dazzle everyone around him, especially Bella. Before his vampire days, he lived in Chicago with his parents. The influenza epidemic hit and his parents and he became very sick. His physician was Carlisle Cullen, who is his “vampire father” in the future. His mother demanded that Carlisle “change” Edward because she knew that would be the only way for him to survive. His parents then died, meaning Edward was alone. Carlisle turned Edward into a vampire with his mother’s wishes so that he would not die, and from then he became what he is today. He lives with his family in Forks, Washington; Carlisle and Esme as his “parents”, Alice and Rosalie as his “sisters”, and Emmett and Jasper as his “brothers”. They all share special traits, such as Alice’s ability to see the future and Jasper’s ability to change the mood of a room. All of them are incredible vampires and are said to be some of the strongest vampires in the world. Together, they are invincible. On the other hand, Jacob Black is a different kind of species. He is a muscular, good looking, tan-skinned boy who Bella is physically attracted to at first. Jacob is part of a Native American tribe, the Quileute Tribe, in La Push, Washington. The people in the tribe are descendants from wolves, and the enemy of theirs is the vampire. Whenever vampires are near, they turn into wolves and attack. Jacob and Bella were close friends when they were younger and reunite when she moves to Forks. He suddenly falls in love with Bella, but her mind is only on Edward. Jacob and his father, Billy Black, try to tell Bella that Edward is dangerous and not to go out with him but she cannot accept that. Still, Jacob will do anything he can to protect her. For Bella Swan, she is a simply a human; a normal seventeen-year old who lives with her father, the chief of police. She is very fair skinned with dark, brown hair, brown eyes, and a very thin body type. She is simply nothing special compared to other beautiful girls in her town. She is academically smart, with honors courses, but her athletic ability is despicable. Back home, she had no interest in the boys and they had no interest in her either. But after living at Forks, she has noticed that the guys here see her different, after three of them ask her to the dance in one day. She has never loved a person as much as she loves Edward, and she simply shows us that she will do anything to keep that love strong. All and all, Edward, Jacob, and Bella are the true characters in the book that keep us hooked and teach us how to love Twilight more and more.

Millions of teenage girls all over the nation are going absolutely crazy about Twilight! Here is what a couple of extreme fans have to say:

ME: Generally, did you enjoy reading the Twilight books better than the movie or vice versa? Why?
ANDREA (18, BSC): I personally enjoyed the books more. Stephenie Meyers has such a captivating writing style that really grabs the reader’s attention. Its full of description and she explains things so that you have this image in your head that is so whimsical and full of fantasy that you enjoy getting lost in Meyers worlds with her and the Twilight characters.
ASHLEY (18, UMD): I enjoyed reading the books way more than the movie. The movies are great because you finally have the chance to see what you imagined while you were reading the books. But I personally liked reading the books better because of the quality of detail that Stephanie Meyer puts into her writing, and you have a better connection with the characters.

ME: Who is your favorite character and why? Do you like them as how they are portrayed in the movie or the book?
ANDREA: Jacob. I feel like he was portrayed accurately – loveable and loyal
ASHLEY: My favorite character is Alice. She's very sweet and loveable, which is definitely not what you would expect in a vampire. I liked her character in the book better because she seems to appear a lot more important in the book than the movie. Even though, she's an important aspect to the Cullen family in the first movie/book twilight, she becomes even more important in the next books.

ME: Compared to other books that were made into movies, how would this series related in quality?
ANDREA: About the same...I feel as though there is always disappointment when it comes to movies that are based on books. However the movies are getting better. (New Moon was better than Twilight).
ASHLEY: I think that the movies are good… New Moon was a lot better than Twilight, but movies will always be different from the books.

ME: What do you wish the director did differently?
ANDREA: I actually would have probably done the same things. I mean, I think it’s because I love the books so much that I feel like the movies fall short. It has nothing that the directors do or didn’t do.
ASHLEY: I loved how the director portrayed the book in the movie. The Twilight series is very complex and the director created them into movies very well.

ME: What is your all time favorite scene in Twilight?
ANDREA: It’s a three way tie between the baseball scene, the prom scene, and the ballet studio scene.
ASHLEY: In Twilight, my favorite scene is Bella's first visit to the Cullen household. Edward plays her the song on the piano that he wrote for her and it is very romantic and you see the true love he has for her.

ME: Which Twilight book can you absolutely not wait for it to be made into a movie and why?
ANDREA: Eclipse because it was my favorite book
ASHLEY: Breaking Dawn definitely. It was my favorite book. There are so many crazy things happening in it, and I really want to see how it is portrayed on screen, and to see how my imagination compares to real life.

ME: What character do you believe fits your personality the best?
ANDREA: Jacob – loyal and loveable ;)
ASHLEY: I think I relate to Alice really well. She's a free spirit and truly herself and unique.

ME: Do you think Twilight is the cause for the outrageous new love for vampires?
ANDREA: Yes definitely. I fully believe that shows like Vampire Diaries and True Blood took off because Twilight was so popular. Without a doubt.
ASHLEY: Yes definitely. There would be no fascination with vampires if it wasn't for Twilight. I think the craze became nuts when they made it into a movie because the vampires were portrayed as gorgeous humans, and not gross creatures. Personally, I don't like any of the other vampire shows and books because nothing can compare to the Twilight Saga.

And for boys on the other hand…

ME: Are you a fan of Twilight? Why or why not?
WILLEM (17, SHS): No because it is hyped so much, but I haven’t read it or seen the movie so my opinion isn’t very reasonable.

ME: What is your opinion on the huge obsession over Twilight?
WILLEM: I think it’s just a fad (something that’s cool to like so other people like it), and no one actually likes it as much as they say.

ME: Would you ever consider watching or reading any of the Twilight series? Why or why not?
WILLEM: No I would not. I’m not interested in that kind of book or movie, and I’ve heard about it so much I already know the whole storyline.

Many Twilight fans are in love with the books written by Stephanie Meyer. Many fans are in love with the movies directed by Hardwicke. Some are completely disgusted about how the director made the book into a movie while others are outrageously happy with how the movies turned about. According to a movie review by Eric Hughes, he stated that “the quality of the movie is expectedly not very high.” He also talked about many of the horrific quotes that were stated in the movie such as “You’d better hold on tight, spider monkey!” Altogether though, Hughes confirmed that “it remains very faithful to the original novel.” In contrast, the website Rotten Tomatoes gave Twilight only a 54% on the TOMATOMETER. Most critics on the website did seem to enjoy it though. Some quotes are “Amazingly, it feels real -- the actors pull it off.” (Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer), “It rekindles the warmth of great Hollywood romances, where foreplay was the climax and a kiss was never just a kiss.” (Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine), and “Twilight is a must see and a must for a sequel. Can anyone say New Moon 2010?” (Jolene Medez, Entertainment Spectrum). In the long run, people around the nation simply get hooked instantaneously simply by way Meyer’s characters displayed their love or by the way Hardwicke represented it. In both cases, Twilight is both a brilliant book and movie to me and to anyone who takes the time to experience them.

When an unknown, typical teenager meets this outstandingly enchanting creature where there is a love that has never been loved before, a best seller is sold. When a movie portrays these two in a beautiful, passionate way that only we can dream of feeling, a mega blockbuster hits the screen. As the fame of Twilight becomes extremely known and the main character’s love intensifies, Americans and people around the world grow a strong bond with this book and start to feel love for the characters personally. Vampires unexpectedly become the new “hot topic” in our culture, as we experience a crazy outbreak in a love for blood-sucking creatures. These vampires, as we all know, aren’t the same type we have all learned about since we were younger. But these are magical creatures with miraculous abilities that just “wow” our eyes. Through this series we experience a couple’s love for each other grow tremendously, their danger increase rapidly, and connect to their lives as we embark on a great adventure into the world of Twilight.


Bibliography
· Joffs, Lori. “Cullen, Edward.” Biography. 3 December 2006. 7 January 2010. <http://twilightlexicon.com/2006/03/10/cullen-edward/>

· Nintendogirl9696. “Biography for Edward Cullen (Character) from Twilight (2008/I)” Biography. December 2009. The Internet Movie Database. 7 January 2010. <http://www.imdb.com/character/ch005822/bio>

· Lynkae. “Biography for Jacob Black (Character) from Twilight (2008/I)” Biography. November 2009. The Internet Movie Database. 7 January 2010. <http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0069425/bio>

· Hermonie_potter. “Biography for Bella Swan (Character) from Twilight (2008/I)” Biography. 2 January 2010. The Internet Movie Database. 7 January 2010. <http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0098076/bio>

· “Twilight (2008)” Review. 24 December 2009. Rotten Tomatoes. 7 January 2010. <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/twilight/?name_order=asc>

· Hughes, Eric. “Book vs. Movie: Twilight.” Review. 24 November 2008. Box Office Prophets. 7 January 2010. <http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/column/index.cfm?columnID=11130&cmin=10&columnpage=2>

What would you do without Google?

Since its inception in 1996, developed by two young Stanford computer science grad students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, taking on the original name BackRub it quickly caught on. After a year of operating on the Stanford servers it began to grow too large to be sustained. The pair decided that the BackRub search engine needed a name change. They finally settled on Google, a play on the word “googol,” a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. They were quickly on their way to developing into one of the most influential companies and search engines ever created. In 1998 Google received their first check for $100,000 to a company that didn’t even exist from an investor by the name of Andy Bechtolsheim. This check would give them the financial ability to set up a workspace in a garage in Santa Margarita, Menlo Park, CA and also file for incorporation. Shortly thereafter “PC Magazine” published an article stating that Google “has an uncanny knack for returning extremely relevant results” and recognizes Google as the search engine of choice in the Top 100 Web Sites for 1998. Since then it has been only uphill for Google with a search index of more than 52.79 Billion web pages and rapidly expanding every day. Google’s gross income is in the billions allowing them to acquire more than 50 different companies since their incorporation, including companies like YouTube, AOL, and DoubleClick. AOL came with a price tag of $1,000,000,000. YouTube came in next at a whopping $1.65 Billion and finally DoubleClick with a price of $3.1 Billion. With this buying power Google has proven itself in not only the search engine business but in a number of other industries as a very influential company. Some even foresee Google surpassing the software giant, Microsoft!

Google, being proven as one of the most influential search engines and companies generates a lot of though. Almost every computer user in the world is familiar with Google and uses it frequently to help make home computer use more pleasant and convenient. What would you do without Google? I know I would be stuck in a whole mess of web pages getting no where fast stumbling over irrelevant web sources. Has Google changed the world? “Over the past decade, Google and its rivals have enhanced the ease of information-gathering, lowered research costs and made creativity effectively cheaper and easier.” Said Arthur Brooks in an interview conducted by Forbes.com. This is an extremely valid point because before Google was around it could take someone hours or even days to find appropriate information for a discrete topic. If you think of something you want to know, just Google it. Everything you can think of can be found on Google, that’s why the word google has been added into the Merriam-Webster's dictionary. It is a verb meaning “to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web”. Google will continue to expand and change the world for many years to come. Lets just hope that it doesn't take over!

Personality Profile: Justin Bieber

Kayla O is a 14-year-old freshman at SHS


“I’m gonna tell you one time girl I love, girl I love you” are common lyrics you hear on an everyday basis when you listen to music. Young girls around the world want to be that “one less lonely girl”. Justin Bieber’s music has swept the nation. He is considered a “soul-singing phenomenon”. Fans love his upbeat teenage love songs. Surprising enough, Justin Timberlake (also his idol growing up) denied him at their first meeting and Usher was the one to sign him. In October of 2008 he officially signed to Island Records which kicked of his career.

A Little Bit about Justin

Justin was born on March 1, 1994; yes, this music sensation is only 15 years old. He stands at 5 feet 4 inches and grew up in Stratford, Ontario where his family fell below the poverty line. Justin Bieber now lives with his parents and older brother in Atlanta, Georgia. His best friend is Christian Beadles. Christian is 13 years old and features in some of Justin’s youtube videos. Justin has also dated Christian’s sister Caitlyn Beadles.

Music and Sports

Bieber is a triple threat with his ability to play guitar, drums, and piano. Justin isn’t just involved with music but also plays sports. He represents the number 18 in hockey, basketball, soccer, football, and motor racing. He definitely is one busy kid.

Likes and Dislikes

Justin fears spider. Also, Bieber’s favorite kind of shoes is high tops; he will be able to acquire a bundle because of his music talent. Bieber’s favorite restaurant is Tim Horton’s. Some of Bieber’s favorite movies are 8 Mile, Slapshot 2 Breaking the Ice, and Exorcists of Emily Rose. Bieber lives with his parents and older brother in Atlanta, Georgia where he signed his first record deal.

How did Justin make it big?

I consider him lucky. Bieber posted many home videos on YouTube receiving over 10,000 views on each one. Surprising enough, Justin Timberlake (also his idol growing up) denied him at their first meeting. It was amusing because Bieber looked up to Timberlake and now is on the path of being more successful than Timberlake. In October of 2008 he officially signed to Island Records which kicked of his career. Usher noticed his extraordinary talent and called Bieber to Hollywood.

Fans are anticipating what’s going to come next with this singing phenomenon. Many fans would like to see him explore different styles of music and maybe a duet with other teenage female singers. Many believe his career will be long lived but others also doubt him because his voice is not fully mature yet. My personal belief: with Bieber, anything is possible.



Bibliography

Justin-Bieber-is-hot ‘Justin Bieber’. Fanpop. < http://www.fanpop.com/spots/justin-bieber/answers/show/32170/justin-bieber-15-lives-atlanta-georgia-fav-color-blue-b-day-same-bros-march-1-middle-name-drew-does-anyone-know-anything-else-about-justin>

‘Justin Bieber – Biography’. Artists. Lets sing it. < http://artists.letssingit.com/justin-bieber-qlswd/biography>


Shayna P. ‘Who is Justin Bieber and Christian Beadles?’.Yahoo.