By Justin Tracy
The Casio G’zOne Ravine is built for ruggedness and a work phone. It has a feature called field force manager, but we will get into that later. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera that takes pictures and videos. This phone includes for a nominal fee a feature called VZ navigator, which is a gps service that helps you get directions to places.
Let’s first start with the looks of the phone. It has a circular front display, which shows a large clock and has the date and cell signal, as well as a battery level indicator. To open the phone you simply flip it open then you are brought to a screen with a very rugged black look to it. This phone is shock resistant, water resistant, and dust/salt resistant. I can tell you first had this is a phone because I have had to opportunity to chuck one as hard as I could at a brick wall then go swimming with it and make a call under water and text under water as well. When it came out it was completely fine. There was no water damage at all. Then just because we could we ran it over with a truck and it still came out fine.
The VZ navigator feature allows you to speak or type a destination and it will bring you there. Now being Verizon this can’t come free and it doesn’t. It has a nice little 9.99 per month fee tacked on with it. If you need a gps that often when your driving around I would recommend buying a GPS instead. One reason to buy a GPS instead is because this feature will drain your battery quickly. In addition to that you shouldn’t be messing with your phone while you are driving. There isn’t any special about the camera. It’s a rugged work phone what do you expect. It takes videos and pictures.
Now one of the most desired things about this device is the field force manager with the push to talk feature. This allows you to use your phone as a walkie-talkie device to talk to your workers quickly without having to start a phone call every time you need to talk to someone. This phone has as small button on the side where you can just push then you talk then once your done you let go. It’s that simple. Naturally this comes with a 5.00 per month fee if you want it. This phone is not for the everyday guy but if you work in construction or management positions where you need a quick to talk rugged phone, this is a great solution.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Together, Lighting the Start of the Holiday
By Kara McCluskeyIt is the small events in a little community that make that community great. To any outsider, the significance of these events is often unfamiliar and not understood, but to those within the community its specialness is never lost.
Every year, in the first week of December, the community of Hopkinton holds a tree lighting in Hopkinton Village. The attendance is often not extremely large, but to those that do attend it does not seem to matter. Unfortunately, to the dismay of some community members, the towering pine that used to be lit up each December was replaced a few years ago with a smaller, less impressive one. But it is not really the tree, but the idea of the event that brings most people around. Most faces are familiar, but even with the town’s small size, others are not. Many young families attend, with their children running around and playing with each other, often stumbling in their chunky winter boots and bulky coats.
The town band plays all the classic carols and everyone is invited to sing along. It is really quite a wonder that the band members can manage to play in such cold, but nonetheless they do. The air is filled with the foggy breath of community members singing, occasionally humming when words are forgotten. Hands in pockets, gently bouncing up and down to stay warm, everyone anxiously wait for the tree to be lit. Once lit, all will be invited to the Parish Hall of the First Congregational Church for hot chocolate and other holiday treats.
And at last, with the playing of O Christmas Tree, the tree is lit. With some applause, the town members celebrate what, in a way, represents the start of the holiday season. But this celebration is short lived as everyone, fed up with the cold, heads into the parish hall.
If you really think about it, there is nothing really exciting about lighting up a pine tree and singing Christmas carols out in the freezing cold. Nonetheless, many community members look forward to the event every year, if for nothing else, the spirit of the holiday and the spirit of community.
Leave Farmland, Farmland.
By Breanna Ostrander
In the state of New Hampshire there seems to be a lot of open space, but its use is up to that of the state. Much of the currently open space will some day be used for developments and industrial purposes. Yet, there are a few places that are designated
for the purpose of being used for farming and ranching.
Locally, here in the town of Hopkinton, there are 45.1 square miles of land and of that land, there are only three working dairy farms. One of these farms, the Bohanan Farm, has recently gone through a legal battle to keep its land protected for farming. The Bohanan farm, that of 413 acres, is now legally protected by The Hopkinton Open Space Committee and The Five Rivers Conservation Trust.
In order to save the farmland the town of Hopkinton had to come up with 900,000 dollars for the easement, survey, appraisal, stewardship and legal fees. More than half of the funds had already been secured from money awarded by the USDA and the Conservation Commission.
To many people who love the rural farmland of Hopkinton, it seemed like a fair price to pay to keep the land for farming. The Bohanan farm is now considered open land forever, and can continue to produce dairy products, or change to a different type of agriculture as the market demands.
In the state of New Hampshire there seems to be a lot of open space, but its use is up to that of the state. Much of the currently open space will some day be used for developments and industrial purposes. Yet, there are a few places that are designated
for the purpose of being used for farming and ranching.
Locally, here in the town of Hopkinton, there are 45.1 square miles of land and of that land, there are only three working dairy farms. One of these farms, the Bohanan Farm, has recently gone through a legal battle to keep its land protected for farming. The Bohanan farm, that of 413 acres, is now legally protected by The Hopkinton Open Space Committee and The Five Rivers Conservation Trust.
In order to save the farmland the town of Hopkinton had to come up with 900,000 dollars for the easement, survey, appraisal, stewardship and legal fees. More than half of the funds had already been secured from money awarded by the USDA and the Conservation Commission.
To many people who love the rural farmland of Hopkinton, it seemed like a fair price to pay to keep the land for farming. The Bohanan farm is now considered open land forever, and can continue to produce dairy products, or change to a different type of agriculture as the market demands.
Gifts Galore Without Debt Galore
By Rin Conley
Ah, Christmas. The time of year full of cheer, joy, and good will towards men. Well, and crowded malls, zero parking space, and dwindling bank accounts.
The period of time starting at the stroke of midnight on the day after Thanksgiving until one falls asleep on Christmas Eve could be equated to an overly cheery hell. We, as gift-giving Americans, will brave Wal-Mart at 3 am to get that Barbie for five dollars that our little sister is begging for, and wait outside Best Buy in the freezing cold for three hours to get that one electronic device that our teenage son just HAS to have.
And despite the mistletoe-filled misery, we feel for this month of the year, and the great relief we are hit with when it’s finally over, come next winter, we will do the exact same thing (oh, the joys of giving).
Well ladies and gentlemen, we’re here with a solution. Below is a small collection of gifts, all under $20 (not counting shipping), that one can buy online. They’re rather general, but if you need a last minute present for your niece Brittany, or a final stocking stuffer for Uncle Jeff, we’ve got it covered.
For mom/wife/grandma/aunt/neighbor:
RuMe (meaning Reuse Me) are bags and carrying devices that are made environmentally friendly from recycled materials and made completely free trade. The “Metallic” is big enough for groceries, books, or all of life’s necessities. It’s also fashionable enough to use as a purse.
Slippers! After a long day of doing whatever it is she does, the woman in your life would most likely like to sit down and relax after slipping her feet into something comfortable. Google “comfy slippers for mom,” or something along those lines, and you’ll have PLENTY of options.
Let’s face it; what mom/wife/grandma/aunt/neighbor doesn’t like something handmade? Draw her a picture. Make a collage. Bake cookies. Or even take an art class at a local community center and give her the outcome. For her, it really is the thought that counts.
For dad/husband/uncle:
How about something coffee related for dad? He’s a busy man after all. A travel mug is simplistic, but gets the job done. It helps your man wake up in the morning with a hot cup of coffee and cute little personalized message.
Men love food. End of story. Meats and cheeses from Hickory Farms, do we really need to explain this one?
For son/nephew/brother/boyfriend:
Personalized. Holiday. PopTarts. How could there be a more perfect gift? PopTarts allows you to chose the flavor and customize the box with a picture and name.
At first glance, this gift might seem to only appeal to an older crowd. After all, your 10 year old isn’t going to pour special eggnog into edible gummy glasses. However, he could fill them with snow and make gummy slushies! A gummy is a gummy, no matter what you put in it.
For daughter/niece/sister/girlfriend:
Most girls like to smell nice. With a gift from Sephora, she can smell good and smell like Christmas. One we found comes with an 8oz bottle of combo shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath, and a small tube of lip-gloss. And the scent? Chocolate peppermint. Mmmm. Every gift on Sephora.com also comes with 3 free samples of different products, like hair care, eye shadow, and perfume.
Unlike boys, girls can often be very hard to shop for. So why not let her chose what she wants? Get her a $20 gift card to anywhere she’s interested in. for instance, American Eagle, Claire’s, Sephora, iTunes, WalMart, or even a Visa gift card she can use almost anywhere. This gift can help avoid the awkward moment of her asking you if you kept the receipt.
This list may be short, but we hope it was some help to you. The holidays should be a cheerful time. And maybe we can never alleviate ALL of your Christmas time stress. But smaller costs and happier friends sure can help.
websites for all gifts along with prices can be found at the following URL: http://hawkstalon.blogspot.com/2010/12/gift-websites.html
Monday, December 6, 2010
On The 13th Day of Christmas: Holiday Movies
By: Breanna Ostrander
It is snowing, the fire is roaring, and you are in comfy pajamas with your hot chocolate while curled up on the couch. During December there is nothing better to do on a cold day than watch the great holiday movies playing.
Many channels take their airtime during the holiday season to play movies relevant to the season. This article will help you find the channel and program to suit your holiday movie viewing.
One of the best channels to watch holiday movies on is ABC Family. During December, they morph their channel into “25 Days of Christmas”. In the evening from six to ten, movies about the holidays are played. Many of these are more for children, including cartoons such as Charlie Brown and Frosty the Snowman. There are many older movies playing, which include old school animation and “clay-mation”.
As for teens and adults looking for their fix on holiday movies, Hallmark and Lifetime are the channels to watch. Lifetime airs a twist to their channel called “Falalala Lifetime”. This is on for the whole month of December, which during the day and evening holiday movies are played. Most of the movies have deeper plots than ABC, and have great messages. As for the Hallmark channel, they play movies all month also and there are many good movies such as A Christmas Carol, and Call Me Claus.
Whether you are looking for children’s holiday movies, or movies with a message, any of these channels will have what you are looking for.
It is snowing, the fire is roaring, and you are in comfy pajamas with your hot chocolate while curled up on the couch. During December there is nothing better to do on a cold day than watch the great holiday movies playing.
Many channels take their airtime during the holiday season to play movies relevant to the season. This article will help you find the channel and program to suit your holiday movie viewing.
One of the best channels to watch holiday movies on is ABC Family. During December, they morph their channel into “25 Days of Christmas”. In the evening from six to ten, movies about the holidays are played. Many of these are more for children, including cartoons such as Charlie Brown and Frosty the Snowman. There are many older movies playing, which include old school animation and “clay-mation”.
As for teens and adults looking for their fix on holiday movies, Hallmark and Lifetime are the channels to watch. Lifetime airs a twist to their channel called “Falalala Lifetime”. This is on for the whole month of December, which during the day and evening holiday movies are played. Most of the movies have deeper plots than ABC, and have great messages. As for the Hallmark channel, they play movies all month also and there are many good movies such as A Christmas Carol, and Call Me Claus.
Whether you are looking for children’s holiday movies, or movies with a message, any of these channels will have what you are looking for.
Dear Josh
Dear Josh,
I love the holiday season and all the fun things that go with it. I have just one concern – annoying relatives! Every year they invade my house and drive me crazy. Now that I’m in high school, it’s even worse because my parents expect me to stay home and “spend quality time” with the relatives who come from out of town. What’s so annoying you might ask? My grandmother always comments on how big I’ve gotten and wants to pinch my cheeks and ruffle my (carefully styled) hair. My uncle is LOUD and OBNOXIOUS; he takes over the TV and yells continuously at any football game that happens to be on. Then there is my dweeby cousin who is two years younger than me…and who my mom insists must accompany me whenever I go out with my friends. AGH!
Please Help!
Annoyed by the Fam
Dear Annoyed by the Fam,
It is important to spend time with your family on holidays because they might not always be around. And as far as them being annoying, it is only one day that you need to endure this behavior. Perhaps if you plan an activity for everyone to do, it will take the stress off for a few hours. You could even set your cousin up with a movie or video game to keep him/her entertained. Just remember that you’re in high school and you will be living on your own soon enough. At that point you will miss the holidays with your family. Plan ahead and try to have fun.
Best of luck, Josh
Dear Josh,
I’m the mom of three teenagers – two boys and one girl. No matter what I buy for them for the holidays, they are not happy. Could you please suggest some gift ideas that teenagers would actually like? I’m looking to spend about $40-$80 each.
Thanks!
Bad-At-Gift-Giving
Dear Bad-At-Gift-Giving,
Unfortunately teenagers are always comparing themselves to friends and classmates. This makes it hard for a parent to know what is in style these days. Most teenagers are interested in a particular style of clothing, so ask what their favorite store is ahead of time, and you may find that on the gift-giving day they will be happy with a gift card to that store. If they are into video games, you could get them a gift card to GameStop (popular game store). If your children are known to ask to go to the mountain and go skiing. you could buy them a few days pass to the local mountain. I’m sure that the kids will enjoy you gifts so don’t stress over it enjoy the holidays.
Don’t worry, Josh
Dear Josh,
No matter how hard I try, I just can’t get everything done during the holiday season. It always happens to me: December 24th comes and I don’t have any gifts purchased, much less wrapped. I end up disappointing people on Christmas day. I have friends who bake cookies for relatives, decorate their houses, find time to hold holiday parties… What is wrong with me? Do you have any suggestions for me regarding time-management during this busy season?
Sincerely,
Always-Pressed-For-Time
Dear Always-Pressed-For-Time,
I know these times are stressful on parents trying to get every thing done in time. If you start buying presents in September through November you wont be pressed for money or time. Wrap them right after you purchase them and put them away till December. If you pencil in some time in early December or even late November you could start to decorate the house and what not. Don’t wait till the last few days and expect to get everything don’t because you could get very stressed out and it could darken you mood for the holidays without you even knowing. I hope for the best for you and I’m sure every thing will work out.
Don’t rush, Josh
I love the holiday season and all the fun things that go with it. I have just one concern – annoying relatives! Every year they invade my house and drive me crazy. Now that I’m in high school, it’s even worse because my parents expect me to stay home and “spend quality time” with the relatives who come from out of town. What’s so annoying you might ask? My grandmother always comments on how big I’ve gotten and wants to pinch my cheeks and ruffle my (carefully styled) hair. My uncle is LOUD and OBNOXIOUS; he takes over the TV and yells continuously at any football game that happens to be on. Then there is my dweeby cousin who is two years younger than me…and who my mom insists must accompany me whenever I go out with my friends. AGH!
Please Help!
Annoyed by the Fam
Dear Annoyed by the Fam,
It is important to spend time with your family on holidays because they might not always be around. And as far as them being annoying, it is only one day that you need to endure this behavior. Perhaps if you plan an activity for everyone to do, it will take the stress off for a few hours. You could even set your cousin up with a movie or video game to keep him/her entertained. Just remember that you’re in high school and you will be living on your own soon enough. At that point you will miss the holidays with your family. Plan ahead and try to have fun.
Best of luck, Josh
Dear Josh,
I’m the mom of three teenagers – two boys and one girl. No matter what I buy for them for the holidays, they are not happy. Could you please suggest some gift ideas that teenagers would actually like? I’m looking to spend about $40-$80 each.
Thanks!
Bad-At-Gift-Giving
Dear Bad-At-Gift-Giving,
Unfortunately teenagers are always comparing themselves to friends and classmates. This makes it hard for a parent to know what is in style these days. Most teenagers are interested in a particular style of clothing, so ask what their favorite store is ahead of time, and you may find that on the gift-giving day they will be happy with a gift card to that store. If they are into video games, you could get them a gift card to GameStop (popular game store). If your children are known to ask to go to the mountain and go skiing. you could buy them a few days pass to the local mountain. I’m sure that the kids will enjoy you gifts so don’t stress over it enjoy the holidays.
Don’t worry, Josh
Dear Josh,
No matter how hard I try, I just can’t get everything done during the holiday season. It always happens to me: December 24th comes and I don’t have any gifts purchased, much less wrapped. I end up disappointing people on Christmas day. I have friends who bake cookies for relatives, decorate their houses, find time to hold holiday parties… What is wrong with me? Do you have any suggestions for me regarding time-management during this busy season?
Sincerely,
Always-Pressed-For-Time
Dear Always-Pressed-For-Time,
I know these times are stressful on parents trying to get every thing done in time. If you start buying presents in September through November you wont be pressed for money or time. Wrap them right after you purchase them and put them away till December. If you pencil in some time in early December or even late November you could start to decorate the house and what not. Don’t wait till the last few days and expect to get everything don’t because you could get very stressed out and it could darken you mood for the holidays without you even knowing. I hope for the best for you and I’m sure every thing will work out.
Don’t rush, Josh
Holiday Word Search
By Cody White
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