Bullying

                All over the news this week is Chardon High School, and the shooting that occurred there Monday, February 27, during lunch. The shooter killed three fellow students and injured two. The 17-year-old shooter is more than likely going to be tried as an adult. It is said that he chose his victims randomly when he opened fire in the school cafeteria.

                The question of his reasoning is on most people’s minds. His answer: bullying. Bullying is affecting everyone more than ever now-a-days, and students have acted out by taking their own lives, or – as this student did – taking the lives of others.

                Many parents look at this with an insensitive eye – that is, until they are affected. Not enough is being done in public schools to keep bullies at bay. In many schools, the teachers themselves are the bullies.

                Something needs to happen. Action needs to be taken to keep our schools safe. A zero-tolerance on bullying and stricter punishment for bullies need to be implemented in high schools and middle schools. Along with that, schools should have “safe spaces” where kids can come together and talk about things that are going on with them; either at home, school, work, or where ever. Supportive clubs like the Gay-Straight Alliance, or First Priority must be allowed in order to assure a safe school environment.

                Situations like that of Chardon High School can be avoided by harboring at-risk students and punishing bullies. It is very un-costly to implement these devices and, anyways, at what price would you keep  your students safe?

“Leap Day”

                “President’s Day only comes once a year!” “Christmas only comes once a year.” “One day sale only – happy Thanksgiving!” Advertisements constantly exploit holidays, having major sales on these days and always claiming that the reason is because these days only come once a year.

                There is a day in the Gregorian calendar, however, that does not come once a year, but instead, graces us with its presence once every four years. February 29, Leap Day, only happens within this intercalary day. The purpose of Leap Day is to line up our human year (since time is a man-made invention) with the solar year.

                Leap Day is special to many. A lot of people are born every day, and Leap Day is no exception. But these children – born on leap day – do not have their birth-day come every year. Instead, they are forced to celebrate it some other day in either February or March.

                Leap Day is a special day. It is more rare than all the holidays, yet, it gets no gratitude.  Happy Leap Day, everyone.

Black History Month

Black History Month. Isn't that kind of ironic? Shouldn't it be called "African American History Month"? I mean, in order to be politically correct and all...
I have nothing against the month, or African Americans. No, my beef is with the government, constantly telling us what is and isn't "politically correct".
Do you ever during "Black" History Month hear of the black people in Africa (actual Africans) that are suffering? Or those down in South Africa that have actually contributed to our 21st Century world? No. All you hear about are dead black people who contributed to America.
Just like America...
They put all the focus on themselves. They just wanted to attempt to look like they cared about diversity, but they don't. America is still the same it was 200 years ago - prejudiced and hateful.

Childhood Obesity: A Parent’s How-to on Combat

“Childhood Obesity: A Parent’s How-to on Combat”

By: Stephanie Clinton

            Many new statistics from the Center for Disease Control have come out, proclaiming that childhood obesity is on the rise, and the projected age limit for the coming generations, is far less than that of their parents. As a concerned parent, how do you fight such statistics, and make sure that your child will grow up healthy, and live to be a ripe old age? Regular diet, exercise, and love are all you need.

            Growing children do need a lot to eat, that’s true, but no thirteen year old boy needs a Big Mac Super-Sized Combo, even if he did just come from basketball practice. Instead, trying feeding him colors; bananas, oranges, apples; these will give his body back the nutrients he lost in sweat, and aide in muscle growth, so the next time he practices he will not wear out as quickly. This should be the same for all children and teens though. Feeding them the basic food groups, along with lots of different colors at every meal will help contribute to a long, healthy, happy life for your son or daughter.

            Another important aspect to fighting obesity is regular exercise. Most elementary and middle schools have a required fitness program, but this drops off in high schools. In order to combat this, try writing your school board, or town senate, asking them to make physical education required all four years in high school. If you don’t believe this will work, and your child is not involved in sports, try to make a family outing of it. Once a month go hiking together, or simply get a treadmill and set up a nice place for it away from where it will become an oversized coat hanger, then get your kid interested in it by using it yourself every day. Remember, children learn best by example.

            The last, and most important, step is to love. Why? Many teenagers have developed mental issues because they believed they were obese, when really they were only moderately overweight, or sometimes not at all overweight. These kids can develop these disorders from many different sources, but it’s important as a parent not to become one. Show your child you love them no matter what the scale says. Tell them that the models and movie stars they see are unrealistic and unhealthy. By staying loving and involved, your teen will be less at risk to combat “obesity” with kamikazes.

            Childhood obesity is a very important issue. As a parent, you need to stay involved in your child’s life and make sure they are getting the nutrition, exercise, and love that they need. If everyone looked positively towards a brighter future for their children, obesity would not even be an issue.

Tattoos

           Tattoos are very popular among young adults and teenagers today. Everyone seems to be getting a tattoo; they are no longer just for gangs and bikers. Even clergy of the Church get tattoos these days, promoting their religion. So, what is so great about tattoos?

            Many people get a tattoo in order to tell a story. A lot of new mothers or fathers will get a tattoo after their child is born, with that child’s name and birth date on it. Tattoos can also serve as a memorial to someone past; generally a family member or someone the tattoo recipient was very close to.

            What a lot of people want to know, however, is why people are suddenly getting all these tattoos and “defacing” their bodies. In older years, tattoos were seen as a scary, demoralizing mark that would never fade. Tattoos stick with you for the rest of your life, which is why it’s very important to consider your thought process before you get one.

            Tattoos are not only dangerous to have because you can lose such things are a job, respect, or just a lot of money; but tattoos are also very dangerous to get. When a person sits down in the parlor and holds out their arm, leg, ect. for the needle, they risk their very well being. Such infections as hepatitis, tetanus, or even AIDS can be transmitted through a dirty tattoo needle. When someone decides to get a tattoo, they must make sure where they get it is very clean and up to health code standards. They must also make sure that they are healthy, and are up-to-date on all their shots.

            Tattoos are not to be feared, as long as they are not ridiculous. Tattoos show respect and reverence, when used correctly. Tattoos should not be “an eye sore”, but an art, and once the art of getting tattoos and keeping them is perfected, perhaps people will be a little more open-minded towards them.

REFERENCES

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/safe_tattooing.html#

Teens and Money

Teens and Money

By: Stephanie Clinton

Teenagers have no idea what the value of hard work is now-a-days. They mooch and squander up as many pennies as the can in order to buy what they “need”. But what exactly is it that they need? And why do they believe they need such a thing? Well media is always a source to blame, but what else? Why do teenagers spend their money on such useless things.

In older days, if a kid wanted to buy something, they would pull out Dad’s old wood and piece themselves together a lemonade stand, or else mow their lawn and all their neighbors lawns. Now though, teenagers simply whine and plead and scream in order to get the “hottest” new thing they “simply must” have. Parents give in because… well, they have no other choice. Once a person sees something they want, and sees that other people have it, then they want it too, and will do everything—but work hard---to get it.

Who do we blame for this behavior? Well, since the invention of the television there have been great changed to the marketing world. Advertisements and those annoying breaks in between your favorite shows or, especially, Christmas movies, so called commercials, are trying harder and harder to market toward kids to make them want something they do not have the means—AKA, money—to get.

Consider the highly popular Call of Duty games. When the most recent one came out, thousands of teenagers and young adults alike cut class and called in sick to work for days in order to stand in line and play the game the second it came out. Why this obsession? Obviously the high success rating of its predecessor, but also the feeling of vitality; that if they did not get this game the second it came out they would be “out of the loop” and forever so, lost in limbo waiting on the next Call of Duty to come out, making sure that this time they would lead the pack.

Some teenagers do get jobs. These though, seem to not spend as much money on mundane things. They are too busy working to play video games. They get free meals from their job or at home, and they keep up a good amount of savings. This generation is not lost yet, but until teenagers put down the controller and take control of their own lives, they will learn the hard way the value of the dollar in life. 

Pearl Harbor and American Spirit

Pearl Harbor and American Spirit

By: Stephanie Clinton

7 December 2011

On December 7, 1941, exactly 70 years ago today, a tragic event occurred that would forever scar United States history. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it a “date that will live in infamy”. On this day, Pearl Harbor in Hawaii was attacked by Japanese forces despite U.S. neutrality in World War II at that time.

            The Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the United States forces without warning. The attack was meant to keep the United States out of the war; to scare them away. Instead it had a direct opposite effect—the very next day America declared war on Imperial Japan.

            This day will forever be remembered as Pearl Harbor Day; a day nearly 2,400 unsuspecting American soldiers were attacked and killed without a second’s warning. It really shows the American spirit. The fact that the day after such a horrible mass murder, the United States rose to seek vengeance on the people who had destroyed thousands of families’ lives, shows that America really cares about those whom fight and fie for freedom and liberty.

            Not all those Navy men whom were at the harbor that day were killed. Lee Soucy decided that when he died, sometime last year, that he wanted to join his friends that lost their lives and therefore was put into his ship that sank that fateful day today.

            Still today, in 2011, people remember those that died on this day in history. The families are still affected. Those sons and daughters left behind are now part of the same army, trying to protect the same liberty their fathers’ died for.

Ten Questions Every American Should be able to answer:

1. On what day did the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor occur?

2. What war was being fought at the time?

3. At the time of the attacks, what side of the war was America on?

4. How long after these attacks did America join the war (if not previously joined)?

5. What was Japan's motive for these attacks?

6. Did Japan's plan work?

7. Who was the president at the time?

8. What did he say about the day?

9. What is this day now remembered as?

10. Who ultimately won the war?

"...a day that will live in infamy."~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt.