Which Phone is Better? Droid or iPhone4?- By James

The two most popular smart phones today are the Droid and the iPhone 4. Both of these phones are dependable and awesome. But which one is better?

Most people think that the Droid from Verizon is better than the iPhone 4 from AT&T. The Droid has a bigger touch screen than the iPhone 4. It also has an eight megapixel camera with16:9 image capture.The camera includes a duel led flash and image stabilization. The capacity of it is 24 GB but you can extend it to 40 GB. It has eight hours of 3G talk time with 220 hours of standby. Some of the other features include Adobe Flash Player, HDMI output, accelerometer, and a micro USB port.

The iPhone 4 has different features. Even though it has a smaller screen, it does have 960x640 resolution. It has a five mega pixel camera with a 4:3 image capture. It also has led flash and a VGA front facing camera (second camera).   The capacity is either 16GB or 32GB that is already built in. It has a 300 hour standby time, longer than the droid. Other features include video chat, 3-axis accelerometer, and a proximity sensor.

iPhone 4 and Droid Comparison Chart

"Notebooks vs. Netbooks"

         Trying to pick out the right computer for you is an important part of computer shopping. There are so many options between brands, memory size, processor speeds, size, and colors. All of these 

combinations can make shopping very overwhelming.

      Probably, the most common type of laptop is a “notebook”. These mainly range from fourteen inches to seventeen inches. They have a very wide range of processors and memory size. You can also get them in lots of different colors. Almost every single brand that sells computers, makes notebooks. Some of the main features of a notebook would be all of the different ports on the sides of the computer and a larger keyboard. All notebooks also have a CD drive. A main disadvantage to notebooks is that they are so big and they can be very heavy and awkward to carry.

            Netbooks also have advantages and disadvantages. One main advantage would be that they are really small and lightweight, making them easy to travel with. They are a very good choice in computers for a student who is just starting to need a computer or someone who is not computer savvy. Netbooks are a very good choice for young students starting to need laptops or for elderly people who don’t use a computer too often. They are also a good choice for people who are always traveling. Some disadvantages to netbooks are the battery life and the ports on the outside of the computer. They do not have as many ports to upload things and most do not have a CD drive.

            Notebooks are a much better choice when buying a laptop because they have many more features like memory size and processor speed. They also have much bigger screens and keyboards, and most of the time they have better quality speakers. Whenever I get a new computer, I will definitely choose a notebook because of all of the greater features.

"Top Three Inventions to be released this year" By: Talia

1. The Flying Car
It is a car that can drive on a road like a regular car and then take off and fly like an airplane. I hope that they perfect the car a little more, so that it is more incognito.

2. Autism Robot
This is a robot that is designed to help kids affected by autism learn how to socialize. It will have real skin and look like a real child.


3.Instant movie theater
This is a camcorder that can project a video onto a white wall after it being taken.

Instant movie theater video recorder

http://www.blogher.com/5-fun-ideas-or-inventions-2011
http://www.wikipeers.com/technology/3685-New-Inventions-for-2011.html

"Western v.s. English Riding" By:Talia

Western riding is much better than English riding for a lot of reasons. Here are the advantages for each of the riding styles

Western:

• You can use the horn on the saddle.
• You don't have to keep the stirrups so short, so you don't hurt your knees while riding.
• You don't tighten the reigns as much, so you don't hurt your horse's mouth.
• You can ride longer because the style is more relaxed and comfortable.
• The saddle has a bigger seat.
• It is how people learn to ride
• It is therapeutic, and is said to heal the soul.
• You can sit farther back in the saddle so you are also more comfortable.

English:

• You can race your horse.
• You can also jump your horse.
• It improves your balance.
• The horses are usually calmer.
• It is more glamorous because you get to dress up.
• There are more classes in shows.

I prefer the western style because I can just relax and have a more comfortable riding experience.

"Why We Shouldn't Have School Uniforms," by Kelley.

           School uniforms are a huge pain. They should ban all school uniforms everywhere. There are many reasons that kids should not have to wear uniforms to school ever. One major reason is that they are super boring looking and they do not allow the kids to express themselves. Uniforms also cause families to pay extra money for more clothes that they need in addition to their weekend clothes. They are also very expensive.

When students have to wear jackets and/or shoes that are in uniform it’s also a big pain. It is very difficult to try to find jackets in local stores that match the uniform requirements. If you go to a uniform store or have to order the actual uniform jackets, they are more expensive. Another problem is sizing. It’s much easier to determine a good size for the student in person, than trying to guess which size to order using only the given measurements.

One way other people might look at this issue is the fact of peer pressure. Some will say that kids will try to show off how nice their clothes are, causing someone else to feel bad about their less expensive clothes. Well there is an easy solution; don’t allow clothes with big store brand names on them. This way kids will be able to where what they want (within guidelines) and there won’t be any competition.

I would rather wear nice clothes that match a guideline than a uniform any day, because otherwise everyone looks the same and there is no individuality.

Basketball- By James

Basketball is one of the oldest sports in the world. It involves a lot of running and thinking. You have to play all your hardest but with good sportsmanship towards your teammates and towards the other team. Sports of any kind can help any person relieve stress and be active. Even though the referees can call unreasonable fouls or who has possession of the ball, it’s only a game. It was invented so anybody can have fun and enjoy the game itself. I believe that every kid should have an opportunity to be on the court and just have fun. In some parts of the world, some kids don’t get the chance to play any sports. Some of the reasons that they can’t play are that the country might be poor or the kids’ parents don’t have enough money to buy the necessary thing to play a sport. I played basketball for the Academy's Middle Division Wildcats. During practice, you show the coach what you can bring for the team. For me, I was good at defense. During games, you feel nervous until the game has started. After the tip off started, you just have fun and play hard. We lost a couple of game but that was because we weren't working as a team. But later on in the season, we worked together perfectly and won our first round tournament. It doesn't matter if your good or bad, you just have to worked together and have fun. You'll get better in the future but that also means the competition gets better too. We lost our championship game against Odessa, but only by three points. The referees made some bad calls but we played our hardest and that is worth more than a whole army base of steel. Afterwords, our coach told us not to worry about the game because they'll be more games next year. He gave us a speech about investment and entitlement. He said that investment build overtime with hard work. Entitlement was a position or title that was given to you without you doing hard work. Overall, basketball season was fun and it thought me values that would be a use to me overtime. 

The Top Five Super Bowl Commercials

The Top Five Super Bowl XLV Commercials

Out of all of the brand new commercials that came out during Super Bowl XLV there are five that really stand out. The funniest commercial was the Best Buy commercial with Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber. Best Buy was trying to get Ozzy Osbourne to advertise their new electronics and he kept messing up. Finally, they brought Justin Bieber on to do their advertisement. After filming Justin, they showed Ozzy and some other guy and Ozzy said, “What’s a Bieber?” The other guy said, “I don’t know, but it looks like a girl!”

            Another great commercial was for Volkswagen and it had the little kid in the Darth Vader costume. This was such a cute commercial because the kid walked around the house pretending to have super powers. He went outside and stood in front of the car and imagined he started it with magic. The dad standing at the kitchen window saw him, and hit the remote start button on his car keys.

            The Doritos commercials were also very cute. In the first one, a girl’s boyfriend closes a glass door leaving the girl’s pug outside. He tries to trick the dog into running into the glass door to get the Dorito chip, but he actually ends up plowing down the door and landing on the guy. The other one shows a guy house sitting and when things go wrong, he drops Dorito crumbs on everything and they become better. The goldfish comes back to life, the plant blooms flowers, and the other guy’s grandpa comes back to life out of a picture frame. 

 

            Lastly, one of the best commercials was for the new Chevy Camaro. It featured 2 guys narrating that they had an idea for the new Chevy Camaro commercial. The first started out in a desert with a bunch of mirrors, then a high speed chase that ended up flying of the side of a building, and completed the story with the girl driver pulling into a school as a teacher. It’s a very creative commercial.

Interview with Shubh - By James

Interview with Shubh

1. How was your trip to Egypt? 
It was really educational and historical but there wasn’t any government protest.
2. When you went to Egypt, did you see any unusual things?
When we were on a tour riding through a poor district, I saw a guy with a machete fending off a group of people. I also saw a guy jumping out of a shop’s window carrying a TV.
3. Did your tour guide say anything about the problems that were happening there?
No, not really. Everything was normal.
4. What is your view on the Egyptian protests?
I think that what’s happening over there [now] is the start of Egypt’s transition to being a full democracy with legitimate presidential terms.
5. Did anybody in Egypt have negative feelings towards you and other Americans?
The people there thought we were Egyptians.

10 Cool and Interesting Super Bowl Facts

1. 80% of all Super Bowl tickets go to the corporate sponsors

2. On average, 6% of workers call in sick the morning after the Super Bowl

3. Of the top ten most viewed programs, 9 are Super Bowls

4. The average number of people at Super Bowl parties is seventeen

5. Super Bowl Sunday is the second highest food consumption day

6. Eight million pounds of Guacamole are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday

7. One of every twelve people watching the Super Bowl only watches it to see the commercials

8. Only three men have won the Super Bowl as players and coaches

9. The Dolphins Stadium has a built in vomitorium. This is a place where the fans can go vomit after the game

10. No network footage exists of Super Bowl I. It was supposedly taped over for a soap opera.

Just for fun we'll add one more:

11. The Super Bowls are known as roman numerals because they go over two years in one season.

Interview with Mrs. Vargas by Kelley

Interview with Mrs. Vargas

1.   When you were little, what did you dream of being when you grew up?

A singer.

2.   Did you ever think of pursuing another career?

Up until I was 17 I wanted to be a singer. Then I decided that I wanted to go to college. Then I decided to be a teacher. Then I wanted to be a singer. And then I decided that I really want to be a teacher and now I’m going to graduate school.

3.   What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is interacting with my students and getting to know them personally and help them; to be a source of support for them.

4.   What inspired you to be a singer?

It wasn’t inspiration. It was just something I did from an early age.

5.   What is one of your favorite songs?

I don’t think I have a favorite. I have different kinds of favorites. There are my favorites to sing, and my favorites to listen to. I think that my favorite song is Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

6.   What were your favorite subjects in school?

History and English. And music because I went to a performing arts school.

7.   What inspired you to be a social studies teacher?

I love history.

8.   What is your favorite part about being a teacher in general?

I love children and I like seeing the proverbial light go on for a student to lead them to connections and I believe that education has the power to transform people.

9.   What is the best part of Academy?

I think that Academy “nurtures the whole child” and because of the focus on the arts.

10. If you could give any piece of advice to someone who wants to be a singer, what would it be?

You can’t put in what God left out. You either have it within you to sing or you don’t because singing is an abstract art. It occurs internally and is placed upon you to make that first beautiful sound. 

Interview with Mr.Pitcairn- By James

Interview with Mr. Pitcairn

1.     How long have you been a part of the Academy at the Lakes community?

I came first as a parent when Jason was in Kindergarten, Daniel in second and Kelsey was in fourth grade. For the last five years I was the Middle Division Director and four years before that I was the Middle Division Soccer Coach. So I’ve been here for 13 years.

2.     What is your favorite poem and why?

The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson. When I first read it, it brought history alive to me.

3.     How were inspired to help children to receive a better education?

By being a good example, by opening the eyes of each student to their potential and to find the joy in the journey.

4.     Can you tell us about your Family’s history that came to America?

The first Pitcairn that came over was Major John Pitcairn. He led the British troops at Lexington and Concord. He never left America because he died at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The next Pitcairn didn’t come until about eh 1840s.

5.     How many generations still carry the name “Pitcairn”?

Hundreds of them. The first record of the name was in Scotland in the 1200s.

6.     What outdoor activities do you like to do?

I like to run half and full marathons, walk, and I love to watch soccer, especially my boys and students.

7.     What is your perspective on imperialism?

I think that it was a period of history that had many sad episodes which we can learn a great deal about how a country can be both great and good.

8.     In your own words, what does it take to be a leader?

It’s not my expression, but a good leader leads by serving others.

Egypt- The Protest- By James

Egypt- The Protest

            In Cairo, Egypt, protestors filled the street for a reform in the government. The protests cause current President Hosni Mubarak to announce that he would not run for re-election. The protesting started on January 15. After days passed, the protesting grew strength and thousands of people were demanding that Mr. Mubarak step down from his presidency. The protestors fought a war against the army and started riots. They broke curfews and robbed stores in that area. Mr. Mubarak tried to stopped the protesting by changing his staff with new people but did not offer to step himself down. This attempt did not slow the protesting down but raise the strength or it. The very first protest was started using cell phones and social media to communicate to the world to start a protest. President Obama warned Mubarak that if he didn’t stop the violence in his country, the country could potentially lose the one billion dollars the U.S. gives to them. The Egyptian army said that it would not fire at its own people and new vice president Mr. Suleiman said that Mr. Mubarak had allowed him to open an interview with the opposition for constitutional and political reforms.

Source: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html

Obscure College Courses

     College courses have been kicked up a notch throughout the years. There is still the generic math, science, and language courses but some new modern classes have been added into the mix.  You can take classes such as Parapsychology, Rock Music from 1970 to Present, Psychology of Facebook, The Science of Harry Potter, and even Underwater Basket Weaving. 
    Some colleges offer a course on Parapsychology, which goes in depth about the paranormal, psychokinesis, telepathy, myths, and involves the science of human consciousness. Students learn about paranormal forces and investigate them, perfect for any aspiring Ghostbuster. At the University of Minnesota you can take a class called Rock II: Rock Music from 1970 to the Present. Here you can learn about a wide range of the genre such as punk, metal, alternative, and grunge. This course is a timeline for fans of rock and roll legends. A newer subject that is becoming more popular is the science of Harry Potter. At Frostburg State University, they challenge physics and the possibility of flying broomsticks, wands, time turners, and three headed dogs. Stanford University offers a course on the psychology of Facebook. This class teaches students about how persuasion and motivation are successful in social networking strategies. They go in depth on everything from profile pictures, commenting, and applications, to news feeds. This class gives meaning to all of the Facebook addicts. At Reed College you can take a class on underwater basket weaving (literally). Students must use reeds to create a basket, while this may be a challenging task for most, these basket makers are fully submerged underwater. 
    This course proves that underwater basket weaving is harder than it looks. College classes have changed throughout the years. These courses are sure to provide something for everyone.

Sources:

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/merce011/mercertaylor/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22841903424

http://collegetimes.us/the-15-coolest-college-courses/