By Kaylee Foote
First off, I will admit that I have not followed this case completely from the start. About two or three months ago I became interested in it, and I have been following it ever since by reading many articles and watching the trials live when I get the chance. However due to that fact that I am a high school student, the hours in which the trials are broadcasting conflicts with my schedule.
On October 4th 2009, four young men broke into the home at 4 Trow Rd. in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. The four young men were Christopher Gribble, Stephen Spader, Quinn Glover and William Marks. Some went to that house with plans of stealing, others with plans of murder. That night will forever change the lives of Jaimie and David Cates. That night Jaimie watched her mother be murdered and then she herself was stabbed repeatedly and left for dead.
Each of these four young men received different sentences. Spader is in prison for life for murder and attempted murder. Gribble was in for life, but he is pleading that he is “not guilty; for reason of insanity,” and, if it is proven that he was insane at the time of the murder then he does not have to serve time in prison. Glover and Marks have 20-40 years in prison because they both testified against Spader and got a lesser sentence than him.
I agree with the sentences that Glover, Marks and Spader have gotten, but I do not agree with the fact that Gribble might be able to be let off for reason of insanity. He killed Kimberly Cates, and he should be punished for that. He should not be allowed to get off with no punishment at all. He was as much involved with the killing of Kimberly as Gribble was, and they should receive an equal sentence for that.
Monday, December 20, 2010
How do the soldiers feel about the holidays?
By Joshua Isabelle
December 16, 2010
I found myself wondering how the soldiers were feeling about the holiday season. There are several websites containing premade Christmas cards and all you have to do is insert your name, city and state and some lucky person will receive you letter wishing them happy holidays. One website is letssaythanks.com
I can’t imagine this is very meaningful to them as seeing as how they have no idea who you are. I would say they probably want to see their family or friends. I’m sure if you would like to make the soldiers happy, maybe we should send prepaid phones so that they can text and call their loved ones during these times.
There is another program I suggest and believe does the most for the troops called givetothetroops.org. They send boxes full of things the troops can enjoy such as, golf clubs, baseball bats, guitars, Bowflex machines, TV sets and temperpidic mattress sets. The average box weighs an average of 70 ponds and is packaged specifically according to whom it’s going to. This way the troops will have something to do while they are still on active duty.
In 2009 the rate of soldiers on non-active duty who have committed suicide was counted in at forty-eight. This year in 2010, in just the first ten months the count went up to eighty-six. We should be doing anything in our power to be preventing this from happening to the men and women who are protecting our country. One opinion for the deaths was said that the suicide victims were most likely to also be victims of post-traumatic stress. Another major reason for the deaths was thought to be because of the recession. Many of the men on active duty cant pay for their home, cars or other bills so they go home to repossessed belongings and cant survive.
Tests show that any and all donations made make an overwhelming difference to the attitudes and livelihood to the troops.
December 16, 2010
I found myself wondering how the soldiers were feeling about the holiday season. There are several websites containing premade Christmas cards and all you have to do is insert your name, city and state and some lucky person will receive you letter wishing them happy holidays. One website is letssaythanks.com
I can’t imagine this is very meaningful to them as seeing as how they have no idea who you are. I would say they probably want to see their family or friends. I’m sure if you would like to make the soldiers happy, maybe we should send prepaid phones so that they can text and call their loved ones during these times.
There is another program I suggest and believe does the most for the troops called givetothetroops.org. They send boxes full of things the troops can enjoy such as, golf clubs, baseball bats, guitars, Bowflex machines, TV sets and temperpidic mattress sets. The average box weighs an average of 70 ponds and is packaged specifically according to whom it’s going to. This way the troops will have something to do while they are still on active duty.
In 2009 the rate of soldiers on non-active duty who have committed suicide was counted in at forty-eight. This year in 2010, in just the first ten months the count went up to eighty-six. We should be doing anything in our power to be preventing this from happening to the men and women who are protecting our country. One opinion for the deaths was said that the suicide victims were most likely to also be victims of post-traumatic stress. Another major reason for the deaths was thought to be because of the recession. Many of the men on active duty cant pay for their home, cars or other bills so they go home to repossessed belongings and cant survive.
Tests show that any and all donations made make an overwhelming difference to the attitudes and livelihood to the troops.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer.. Or was it a Careless Driver?
By Nicole Mitchell
Living in New Hampshire, where we get an average of 3 feet of snow each storm, you would think people would know how to drive in these conditions since they last half the year. But no. This is false. Every year there are thousands of accidents in New Hampshire because people think they are invincible in all weather with their SUVs. However, if you look on the side of the road as you are going by, most of the cars off the road are the SUVs or the little cars that have tires from the 3 years ago with absolutely no tread left on them.
These drivers put every single person on the road in danger including themselves. In today’s society we have been raised to think we are the best and nothing can stop us. They clearly forgot about Mother Nature. Why people think they can outrun her beats me, but they try to every year. Most people who grow up in New Hampshire tend to stay because of all the seasons and the dramatic changes so its not like they do not know how to drive in this weather; they do, they just don’t think.
Now that the snow is finally starting to fall, people should be preparing their cars for the weather changes. The smart ones do, the ones who think they are invincible do not and the one who cannot afford to freak out.
Most of the accidents that happen on the road during winter are due to common knowledge no-no’s, like do not tailgate in a blizzard when you cannot see 5 feet in front of your car. If you do so, then you are just asking to get into an accident. Why would you want to tailgate someone in the first place? All that’s going to happen is they hit their brakes, you will not be paying attention, and it will ruin your entire car by slamming the front of your into theirs. Your radiator or engine or any other components attached will be severely damaged. Then you have to pay for both cars to be fixed! It’s just asking to spend money and when you add the slippery snow or black ice, the probability of this happening increases by at least 75%.
Finally once these tailgaters have had enough of following you so closely and freaking you out, they decide to jerk the wheel to pass you and everyone knows that the snow collects down the middle of the road (because that is the one place people do not drive). So when you change lanes you have to drive straight through it and it is normally the most dangerous part of driving in a snowstorm. Most SUVs couldn’t care less and fly over to the other lane and lose control of the top-heavy contraption. This is normally when every single driver starts freaking out, some stop paying attention to the road, some start yelling, but either way every one slams on their brakes so they do not become part of the accident as well and give that one car space to regain control. Some drivers can handle it and do regain control. Some can’t handle it at all and the road become a bowling ally, and this one car takes out as many cars as possible in the shortest amount of time before they go into the ditch or wrap their car around a tree.
This also happens when people do not realize that going eighty miles an hour and a snow-covered road is a bad idea, because as soon as you touch the brakes you have no traction or control and you are pretty much hydroplaning over the snow and hitting your brakes just turns your tires from snow boots to ice skates with rockets attached.
While theses things normally happen on a highway, other things happen in towns and cities such as not realizing that you have to speed up before you reach the snow covered enormous hill in order to get enough momentum to make it up. It’s like trying to climb a wall: if you are at a dead stop while in front of a hill you are not going to go anywhere. Most drivers are too afraid to step on the gas while going up a hill because they believe slow and steady wins the race: in this situation, that’s not the case. Most make it up a fourth of the hill and just slide backwards hitting everything possible on the way back down. Some drivers decide it’s a good idea to turn the wheel once they stat to go down and put themselves into a spiraling death ball that is flying down the hill.
Another good one is when people “forget” they are driving in a nor’easter and slam on their brakes to make a turn, not realizing that cars do go sideways on ice. They forget that they need traction to turn and that even though they turn the wheel and the tires turn, when they are on ice its pointless because nothing is going to happen.
Although these are all very common things drivers in New Hampshire do, my all time favorite is when it’s a whiteout outside, and there is so much snow, all you can literally see is white. And people don’t turn their lights on! It’s even better when they are driving a silver car. It’s like, are you seriously driving down the road in a snowstorm without your lights on? Are you trying to kill people?! In the winter, drivers look for lights in order to see cars because it can be so hard to see things in a snowstorm.
Yeah, accidents are called accidents for a reason, but most of them are because the drivers honestly believe they are invincible and do not consider the conditions and use common sense. This winter, lets try to decrease the number of accidents and fatalities by reading up on driving safety tips for winter, and lets work together to avoid accidents. People need to take others into consideration while driving. You do not own the road and you have no reason to believe you do. Lets make this holiday season a fun, happy and safe one for everyone this year!
Living in New Hampshire, where we get an average of 3 feet of snow each storm, you would think people would know how to drive in these conditions since they last half the year. But no. This is false. Every year there are thousands of accidents in New Hampshire because people think they are invincible in all weather with their SUVs. However, if you look on the side of the road as you are going by, most of the cars off the road are the SUVs or the little cars that have tires from the 3 years ago with absolutely no tread left on them.
These drivers put every single person on the road in danger including themselves. In today’s society we have been raised to think we are the best and nothing can stop us. They clearly forgot about Mother Nature. Why people think they can outrun her beats me, but they try to every year. Most people who grow up in New Hampshire tend to stay because of all the seasons and the dramatic changes so its not like they do not know how to drive in this weather; they do, they just don’t think.
Now that the snow is finally starting to fall, people should be preparing their cars for the weather changes. The smart ones do, the ones who think they are invincible do not and the one who cannot afford to freak out.
Most of the accidents that happen on the road during winter are due to common knowledge no-no’s, like do not tailgate in a blizzard when you cannot see 5 feet in front of your car. If you do so, then you are just asking to get into an accident. Why would you want to tailgate someone in the first place? All that’s going to happen is they hit their brakes, you will not be paying attention, and it will ruin your entire car by slamming the front of your into theirs. Your radiator or engine or any other components attached will be severely damaged. Then you have to pay for both cars to be fixed! It’s just asking to spend money and when you add the slippery snow or black ice, the probability of this happening increases by at least 75%.
Finally once these tailgaters have had enough of following you so closely and freaking you out, they decide to jerk the wheel to pass you and everyone knows that the snow collects down the middle of the road (because that is the one place people do not drive). So when you change lanes you have to drive straight through it and it is normally the most dangerous part of driving in a snowstorm. Most SUVs couldn’t care less and fly over to the other lane and lose control of the top-heavy contraption. This is normally when every single driver starts freaking out, some stop paying attention to the road, some start yelling, but either way every one slams on their brakes so they do not become part of the accident as well and give that one car space to regain control. Some drivers can handle it and do regain control. Some can’t handle it at all and the road become a bowling ally, and this one car takes out as many cars as possible in the shortest amount of time before they go into the ditch or wrap their car around a tree.
This also happens when people do not realize that going eighty miles an hour and a snow-covered road is a bad idea, because as soon as you touch the brakes you have no traction or control and you are pretty much hydroplaning over the snow and hitting your brakes just turns your tires from snow boots to ice skates with rockets attached.
While theses things normally happen on a highway, other things happen in towns and cities such as not realizing that you have to speed up before you reach the snow covered enormous hill in order to get enough momentum to make it up. It’s like trying to climb a wall: if you are at a dead stop while in front of a hill you are not going to go anywhere. Most drivers are too afraid to step on the gas while going up a hill because they believe slow and steady wins the race: in this situation, that’s not the case. Most make it up a fourth of the hill and just slide backwards hitting everything possible on the way back down. Some drivers decide it’s a good idea to turn the wheel once they stat to go down and put themselves into a spiraling death ball that is flying down the hill.
Another good one is when people “forget” they are driving in a nor’easter and slam on their brakes to make a turn, not realizing that cars do go sideways on ice. They forget that they need traction to turn and that even though they turn the wheel and the tires turn, when they are on ice its pointless because nothing is going to happen.
Although these are all very common things drivers in New Hampshire do, my all time favorite is when it’s a whiteout outside, and there is so much snow, all you can literally see is white. And people don’t turn their lights on! It’s even better when they are driving a silver car. It’s like, are you seriously driving down the road in a snowstorm without your lights on? Are you trying to kill people?! In the winter, drivers look for lights in order to see cars because it can be so hard to see things in a snowstorm.
Yeah, accidents are called accidents for a reason, but most of them are because the drivers honestly believe they are invincible and do not consider the conditions and use common sense. This winter, lets try to decrease the number of accidents and fatalities by reading up on driving safety tips for winter, and lets work together to avoid accidents. People need to take others into consideration while driving. You do not own the road and you have no reason to believe you do. Lets make this holiday season a fun, happy and safe one for everyone this year!
Kick Off Your Sunday Shoes and Dance
Footloose, a 1984 movie about a town where rock music and dancing are banned, has been selected for the Hopkinton drama musical. Nobody knew which musical Ms. Dornik and Ms. Gelineau would pick, until they started to play hints over the morning intercom. Many students guessed a different array of musicals, but with the last song played, everybody knew it was footloose.
According to Dornik, “There were no close seconds to the choice of the musical”. Footloose is based on many different songs, and dance sequences. The choreographing of the musical will be left to Dornik, while the acting of the musical will be lead by Gelineau. Musicals are much harder to present than plays because of all the dancing and singing, but even with that many students are excited to audition.
JP Dubois is waiting to start with the read through of the script, which is this Friday the 17th. When asked about the dancing and singing Dubois stated, “Well, seeing as I can’t sing r dance, it will be challenging”. That only confirms the belief that putting on a musical will be tough. But sophomore Maddie Donahue thinks “it will be hard to put together all of the singing and dancing, but we have a great set of people who can do it”.
Even if the musical is a challenge, the Hopkinton drama club could not have any better members to put it on. Many students and facility are looking forward to watch the production, which will be sometime this spring.
According to Dornik, “There were no close seconds to the choice of the musical”. Footloose is based on many different songs, and dance sequences. The choreographing of the musical will be left to Dornik, while the acting of the musical will be lead by Gelineau. Musicals are much harder to present than plays because of all the dancing and singing, but even with that many students are excited to audition.
JP Dubois is waiting to start with the read through of the script, which is this Friday the 17th. When asked about the dancing and singing Dubois stated, “Well, seeing as I can’t sing r dance, it will be challenging”. That only confirms the belief that putting on a musical will be tough. But sophomore Maddie Donahue thinks “it will be hard to put together all of the singing and dancing, but we have a great set of people who can do it”.
Even if the musical is a challenge, the Hopkinton drama club could not have any better members to put it on. Many students and facility are looking forward to watch the production, which will be sometime this spring.
Stand Up for the Future of Gaming
By Tucker Gaskill
Ever since the release of Sony’s Playstation Move, the world has been waiting for Microsoft’s answer. On November 4th 2010 Kinect was released for the Xbox 360. Kinect is used with the Xbox 360 for controller-free motion gaming.
It’s taken a few years for Microsoft to release anything to do with motion gaming. Even though Kinect is in the same category as the Nintendo Wii and the Playstation Move for the PS3, it is completely different. For the Wii and the PS3, you need motion controllers so that the system can track the movement of your hands which hold the controllers. The Kinect has a built-in camera that tracks your entire body movement. The system itself is eleven inches wide, three inches deep, and three inches tall. Because of the cables you will need a little more room then that, but not much. However size restrictions of the Kinect itself are the least of your worries. In the manual that comes with it, Microsoft recommends that you be no less then six feet from the TV and the Kinect. In a lot of places this is a problem to be six feet from the TV and have the room to move around and play the different games.
Packaged with the Kinect is one game, Kinect Adventures, which is a few mini games in one. So far there are 41 available games for the Kinect with many more planned and announced for release. Brand new games for the Kinect are priced at $49.99, which is $10 cheaper then new games for the Xbox 360 or the PS3. Games for the Kinect vary from sports games to dance games, to workout games, to karaoke games, to party games. There’s something for everyone to play.
Overall the Kinect is worth spending $140 on if you already have the Xbox 360, if you have the space of course. For the holidays there’s also deals on an Xbox 360 and a Kinect combo starting at $375 and goes up depending on what Xbox 360 you want with it.
David Pogue of The New York Times
David Pogue writes about recent hot technology. He covers anything from new android (Google) devices to small laptops also known as net books. He is known for doing small video clips about the product. He sometimes talks in an odd voice and he points out very clearly the flaws in a product. Sometimes he dresses up when he reviews a product. The last thing he is known for in his videos is making a structure showing how something will work. They are grossly oversimplified naturally, but it gets the point across to the everyday viewer about how something works.
What about David Pogues writing style? He writes in a light, fun style. When he does that he keeps it informative to not get off topic. For example he will say something like this: This android device is great for the everyday guy who is tired of the iphones limitations that apple has set on the operating system. But what you might hate is the choppiness of which the android device runs at which can give a headache after a while.
David Pogue’s videos are a sight to see. The New York Times gives him a lot of slack and freedom when it comes to making his videos. More times than not his videos will be at his own house. One time he pretended to be an old man who is always complaining about something until he finds the perfect product that is easy to use. As well as cheap and simple to setup which he will then get exited about it. This is followed by a little theme music with a still frame of the old man as the clip ends.
Ok well anyone can make a video about a product, does he have a technology background to prove he might not be just making stuff up. How about college, and what did he study? David Pogue went to Yale and graduated “Summa cum laude”. This means he graduated with an average GPA higher than 3.8 in 1985. In Yale he studied English, music, and computer science. When he graduated he had a distinct interest in music so he went off to write and conduct musicals. He got an Emmy award for his tech affiliation with cbs news.
To conclude David Pogue as a tech guru, Emmy award winning, musical, Yale graduate. He enjoys making videos about new technology that will surely fill stockings. He keeps them filled with the keys points on the product but has a nice light mood and a bit of a comedic side to them. This helps to keep the audience at attention and interested. He is known for his videos being taken anywhere from his very own living room to CBS, 60 minutes, and even CNBC.
http://www.davidpogue.com/bio_photos/index.html
What about David Pogues writing style? He writes in a light, fun style. When he does that he keeps it informative to not get off topic. For example he will say something like this: This android device is great for the everyday guy who is tired of the iphones limitations that apple has set on the operating system. But what you might hate is the choppiness of which the android device runs at which can give a headache after a while.
David Pogue’s videos are a sight to see. The New York Times gives him a lot of slack and freedom when it comes to making his videos. More times than not his videos will be at his own house. One time he pretended to be an old man who is always complaining about something until he finds the perfect product that is easy to use. As well as cheap and simple to setup which he will then get exited about it. This is followed by a little theme music with a still frame of the old man as the clip ends.
Ok well anyone can make a video about a product, does he have a technology background to prove he might not be just making stuff up. How about college, and what did he study? David Pogue went to Yale and graduated “Summa cum laude”. This means he graduated with an average GPA higher than 3.8 in 1985. In Yale he studied English, music, and computer science. When he graduated he had a distinct interest in music so he went off to write and conduct musicals. He got an Emmy award for his tech affiliation with cbs news.
To conclude David Pogue as a tech guru, Emmy award winning, musical, Yale graduate. He enjoys making videos about new technology that will surely fill stockings. He keeps them filled with the keys points on the product but has a nice light mood and a bit of a comedic side to them. This helps to keep the audience at attention and interested. He is known for his videos being taken anywhere from his very own living room to CBS, 60 minutes, and even CNBC.
http://www.davidpogue.com/bio_photos/index.html
Winter Dangers
By Justin Tracy
As the winter season is coming upon us there are many dangers that need to be known. First are the roads, here in New Hampshire anyone who has been living here through the winter knows how bad the roads can get. When this happens black ice can form and people cant see so they fly off the road, which can be deadly in some cases. This is why it’s so essential to wear your seatbelt. In the winter when everything’s wet there is no brush fire danger obviously. What the majority of people don’t know is when they haven’t used their chimney is a while and you go to light it up it can cause a fire in the chimney. If that fire gets out of control then it can cause a full on house fire.
At thirty-two degrees water freezes. Everyone knows that. People that know this are also aware of a little factor called black ice. This is ice on the roads that you cannot see which can be hazardous. If you drive a truck or some sports cars, which have, rear wheel drive they need to be extra cautious. The reason for this is simple its what’s known as fishtailing. What happens with fishtailing is your backend will start to swing to one direction making you a hazard to other drivers and yourself. Depending how fast you are going and your driving skill you can be able to turn back and keep control. Don’t think that if you have front wheel drive this wont happen to you because it absolutely can. Mainly people need to remember when driving in slick wintery conditions to wear their seatbelt, good visibility, enough gas in your car so if you get stuck you can stay warm, drive slower than you think you need. Last but not least, watch the corners!
The seasonal fire danger in your own home is chimney fires. When people don’t use their chimneys for months the soot left from last season can catch on fire. Now what you might be thinking is who cares if the chimneys on fire. If the chimney gets too clogged then it can start to heat up and crack then start a full house fire. It’s very important to call 911 if you think your chimney could even possibly be on fire. Then get out of the house and make sure your cars are out of the way to the entrance of the home.
As the winter season is coming upon us there are many dangers that need to be known. First are the roads, here in New Hampshire anyone who has been living here through the winter knows how bad the roads can get. When this happens black ice can form and people cant see so they fly off the road, which can be deadly in some cases. This is why it’s so essential to wear your seatbelt. In the winter when everything’s wet there is no brush fire danger obviously. What the majority of people don’t know is when they haven’t used their chimney is a while and you go to light it up it can cause a fire in the chimney. If that fire gets out of control then it can cause a full on house fire.
At thirty-two degrees water freezes. Everyone knows that. People that know this are also aware of a little factor called black ice. This is ice on the roads that you cannot see which can be hazardous. If you drive a truck or some sports cars, which have, rear wheel drive they need to be extra cautious. The reason for this is simple its what’s known as fishtailing. What happens with fishtailing is your backend will start to swing to one direction making you a hazard to other drivers and yourself. Depending how fast you are going and your driving skill you can be able to turn back and keep control. Don’t think that if you have front wheel drive this wont happen to you because it absolutely can. Mainly people need to remember when driving in slick wintery conditions to wear their seatbelt, good visibility, enough gas in your car so if you get stuck you can stay warm, drive slower than you think you need. Last but not least, watch the corners!
The seasonal fire danger in your own home is chimney fires. When people don’t use their chimneys for months the soot left from last season can catch on fire. Now what you might be thinking is who cares if the chimneys on fire. If the chimney gets too clogged then it can start to heat up and crack then start a full house fire. It’s very important to call 911 if you think your chimney could even possibly be on fire. Then get out of the house and make sure your cars are out of the way to the entrance of the home.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
True Meaning of the Holiday Season
By: Olivia Hamel
Although, the holiday season is portrayed as a joyous time when cares are forgotten and charitable ways are encouraged through “holiday cheer,” this cheerfulness that is brought on by the season seems to be a façade. This façade is created often times through our commercializing culture: holiday adds on television and tunes on the radio. It seems as if it is the way of our culture to push this holiday season onto everybody, but for the wrong reasons. These ads shown on T.V. all promote the buying of gifts, and in this action of buying gifts for your loved ones it is presumed that happiness will follow. It is all due to these pushy ads that we forget what the holiday season is all about: charity, hope, faith and love.
I do not only make these assumptions from afar, but I make them from a place where I can observe consumers during the holiday season. I work at a small grocery store located in the town in which I live. Through the seasons there are clear points in which fluctuation in the frequency that shoppers visit the store is noticeable. As the holiday season approaches the store is often times packed and registers are maxed out with customers. Not only does the number of shoppers visiting the store increase, but the number of food vouchers increases as well. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, “food vouchers,” they are pieces of paper relinquished by the local food pantry to more needy members of the community; in order to help them purchase basic items that are needed to have a balanced diet, such as milk, eggs and bread. Having a burst of food vouchers being used during the holiday seasons leads me to assume what is backed up by certain economic reports. Our economy is struggling at this current time and with the struggling economy the people who participate in said economy are struggling as well.
To be witness to the fact that people in my community are struggling economically, especially during the holiday season, disheartens me. I am disheartened so because of the fact that we as a culture push the more superficial aspect of the holidays rather than the more emotional aspects. Here people are struggling just to purchase groceries and we advertise that, “your Holiday will be incomplete without presents.” This puts incredible pressure onto those who have sparse funds, creating incredible stress.
However, as I am an everyday witness to the holiday season struggle and hardships, I was once fortunate enough to be witness to what the holiday season is truly about. Last year around this same time in the season I was working on of my regular shifts, after school. And, as usual for the season, I had received many vouchers that night. As the night moved on it was hard not to ponder about the economic status of our nation and how it was disheartening especially in light of the season. In the midst of one of my pondering sessions, two customers entered my line. I presumed that the two were mother and daughter due to their proximity to each other and the manner in which they were interacting. They had a relatively small amount of groceries, which amounted to a total of about twenty dollars. However, although the total was relatively small it appeared as if they hadn’t brought enough money along with them to meet their purchases. The mother relayed this to me and asked if she could put a few items away. In the midst of her request a man, who I had only just noticed after he stepped forward, offered to pay for their entire purchase stating that, “I’ve got this order too.” Looking astonished that the man had offered such a generous act towards them, the mother first tried to politely decline. To this polite decline, the man was firm and kept on insisting that I include his items with theirs and he would pay the entire bill. I complied with his insistence all the while holding back tears: this man (presumably) did not know this family that he so charitably purchased groceries for. That act, to me, embodied the true spirit of the season: to be charitable to others who are less fortunate than yourself and find fulfillment in the fact that you are able to add some amount of cheer to their holiday. As the new holiday season is comes around I try to follow in the footsteps of that gracious man and help and give to others less fortunate than myself. I do not want to lose the true meaning of the holiday season, and it is my hope that others will take the true meaning in to consideration as well, for then the holiday season will, in actuality, become “complete.”
Gift Websites
RuMe bags: http://www.rumebags.com/shop/Green-Label
Comes in 3 sizes, with prices ranging from $14.95 to $17.95 and shipping for standard 5-7 business days is $5.95
Slippers: http://www.amazon.com/Womens-Slippers-Lined-Suede-Pink/dp/B003NTY66E
$12.95 (plus $6.95 for shipping)
This mug is $15.00 with personalization and shipping is $6.95
Meats and cheeses: http://www.hickoryfarms.com/item/beef-hickory-sampler-gift-box/009811
This set we found costs $16.95, with shipping guaranteed delivery by Christmas for $7.99
Poptarts: http://www.poptartsworld.com/store/p/4224-Custom-Box-Happy-Holidays.html?a=giftstraffic
The box of 8 costs $14.95, and shipping is only $2.99
Gummy cups: http://www.vat19.com/dvds/gummy-shot-glasses.cfm?adid=giftsdotcom
Sets of 6 are available in two flavor combinations, and cost $12.95 with $8.95 shipping costs
Sephora gift: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P274715&categoryId=C17614&shouldPaginate=true
Set with free gifts is $18 plus $5.95 for shipping
The Difficulty of Decorating
By Rachel LeGros The holiday season can be a very stressful time for parents throughout the country, and many children are oblivious of the time and effort that parents put in to make the holidays enjoyable for their children and family.
I remember helping my dad labor over the tree. The set-up alone would take at least two hours, from getting the giant box out of the attic to separating each branch one by one. That’s when my dad stepped out and my mother stepped in. First, the lights go on. Then we moved onto the garland and the ornaments. Last came the angel on top of the tree.
Now, only living with my father, we have a four-foot tree, and that’s about the only decoration we have in our house. My mother’s house on the other hand, is covered in small ceramic Santas and little set-ups of cartoon Christmas movies, from "Charlie Brown" to “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.”
Living with a non-Christmas oriented parent is kind of a spirit-breaker during the holidays. If it wasn’t for their children, I doubt most parents would even bother decorating for the holidays. I believe that children help adults get into the holiday spirit, and I also believe that parents need to decorate for their children. Without decorations, it doesn’t even feel like Christmas time.
'Tis the Season... To Spice Up Life
By Nicole Mitchell
Every year families gather, the air outside is frigid, people run into stores, donate tons of money, and are nice to others. There’s a sense of romance in the air; the idea of cuddling up by the fire, playing music and singing along, making delicious meals, family traditions, laughter, remembrance, family trips, and happiness. While all of this is good and fun, the holidays can also be stressful with unexpected snowstorms, accidents, black ice, loss of power, delays, loneliness, injuries, and the scrooges in the world.
The holidays are a happy time of year and should stay that way. Here are some tips on how to stay positive and stress free this holiday season.
Language:
• Words to avoid; these words put you in a negative state of mind.
*Everything
*Never
*Nothing
Instead use:
o Only
o Temporary
o Some
• Communication
o Call family and tell them what you plan on doing and explain everything to them so you are still on the same page
Health:
• Eat fruits and vegetables
• Drink a lot of water; this will reduce your urge to mindlessly snack on food. A person should drink eight 8oz glasses of water
a day; you can also switch up what you drink between water, juice, tea, etc.
• Exercise
oYoga
oAerobics
• Get 8 hours of sleep a night
• Drink hot beverages- tea, hot chocolate, coffee
• Get a massage; you do not have to pay for a massage, switch off with a friend for a 5-minute massage. Receiving a massage
and giving a massage will reduce stress.
• Take a hot bath
Mind:
• Plan ahead
• Make a list
• Realize everything does not have to be perfect
• Reduce criticism
• Push away negative thoughts
• Stay quiet if you have a negative thought or reaction
• Remember you can only change yourself
• Be realistic
• Put a dab of essential oils on your wrist or on the collar of your shirt, some relaxing scents are:
o Lavender
o Peppermint
o Cinnamon
o Nutmeg
o Chamomile
o Cedar
o Lemon
o Thyme
• Take deep breaths
• Count backwards from 10
• Go outside and get some fresh air
o Close your eyes and listen to the sounds
o Keep your eyes shut and see what you can smell
• De-clutter your house or desk
• Donate clothes; the satisfaction of giving will make you feel important because it’s not just about us.
o Goodwill
o Salvation Army
o Dress for Success
• Play Christmas music
• Buy a coloring book
o Doodling will distract you and use the other side of your brain
So this holiday season, if you find yourself in a pinch or a little frazzled, take a minute to re-gather yourself and remember, have fun this season!
Every year families gather, the air outside is frigid, people run into stores, donate tons of money, and are nice to others. There’s a sense of romance in the air; the idea of cuddling up by the fire, playing music and singing along, making delicious meals, family traditions, laughter, remembrance, family trips, and happiness. While all of this is good and fun, the holidays can also be stressful with unexpected snowstorms, accidents, black ice, loss of power, delays, loneliness, injuries, and the scrooges in the world.
The holidays are a happy time of year and should stay that way. Here are some tips on how to stay positive and stress free this holiday season.
Language:
• Words to avoid; these words put you in a negative state of mind.
*Everything
*Never
*Nothing
Instead use:
o Only
o Temporary
o Some
• Communication
o Call family and tell them what you plan on doing and explain everything to them so you are still on the same page
Health:
• Eat fruits and vegetables
• Drink a lot of water; this will reduce your urge to mindlessly snack on food. A person should drink eight 8oz glasses of water
a day; you can also switch up what you drink between water, juice, tea, etc.
• Exercise
oYoga
oAerobics
• Get 8 hours of sleep a night
• Drink hot beverages- tea, hot chocolate, coffee
• Get a massage; you do not have to pay for a massage, switch off with a friend for a 5-minute massage. Receiving a massage
and giving a massage will reduce stress.
• Take a hot bath
Mind:
• Plan ahead
• Make a list
• Realize everything does not have to be perfect
• Reduce criticism
• Push away negative thoughts
• Stay quiet if you have a negative thought or reaction
• Remember you can only change yourself
• Be realistic
• Put a dab of essential oils on your wrist or on the collar of your shirt, some relaxing scents are:
o Lavender
o Peppermint
o Cinnamon
o Nutmeg
o Chamomile
o Cedar
o Lemon
o Thyme
• Take deep breaths
• Count backwards from 10
• Go outside and get some fresh air
o Close your eyes and listen to the sounds
o Keep your eyes shut and see what you can smell
• De-clutter your house or desk
• Donate clothes; the satisfaction of giving will make you feel important because it’s not just about us.
o Goodwill
o Salvation Army
o Dress for Success
• Play Christmas music
• Buy a coloring book
o Doodling will distract you and use the other side of your brain
So this holiday season, if you find yourself in a pinch or a little frazzled, take a minute to re-gather yourself and remember, have fun this season!
Gift Ideas for the Car Enthusist
By Anthony Davis
First off most people that like cars know what they like and are very particular about things they will put in or on their car. So the first thing to do would find out what they like for style on the vehicles and what they want. You can get many nice things that will make a car look better sound better and clean it up. It also depends on how much money you are looking to spend also.
New rims on a car can make the worst looking, ugliest car look like it’s a sweet ride. There are many different styles and sizes. Most rims are expensive but you can sometimes find some cheaper ones that still look nice. Then there are things like cold air intakes, dress up kits for the motor, a chip so that you can get more power or gas mileage. You could always get tune up things for up keep on the vehicle. For interior you can get things like seat covers, new shift knobs, light kits, new peddles that look nice, mats, and just about anything that you could probably think of. You can get a part that the vehicle might be in need of. So overall there is many things that you could get for the car enthusiast. Most of witch they will like and use.
First off most people that like cars know what they like and are very particular about things they will put in or on their car. So the first thing to do would find out what they like for style on the vehicles and what they want. You can get many nice things that will make a car look better sound better and clean it up. It also depends on how much money you are looking to spend also.
New rims on a car can make the worst looking, ugliest car look like it’s a sweet ride. There are many different styles and sizes. Most rims are expensive but you can sometimes find some cheaper ones that still look nice. Then there are things like cold air intakes, dress up kits for the motor, a chip so that you can get more power or gas mileage. You could always get tune up things for up keep on the vehicle. For interior you can get things like seat covers, new shift knobs, light kits, new peddles that look nice, mats, and just about anything that you could probably think of. You can get a part that the vehicle might be in need of. So overall there is many things that you could get for the car enthusiast. Most of witch they will like and use.
Lighten the faces of the less fortunate this holiday
By: Alexandra Trahnstrom
Merriment fills the air every December. Christmas time is a time to be with family and friends. Though some adults may wish that Christmas is about simply being together, the truth is that the kids love this holiday so much because of the presents from Santa. We all run in and out of toy and clothing stores buying stuff for our loved ones. However there are many families with low incomes that struggle showing their little ones a “tree stuffed with presents” on Christmas morning.
There are many organizations out there to help families in need around the Christmas time. "Operation Santa Search" is a website that allows the public to find organizations around their area. Some businesses that are doing a huge part in helping out are: Salvation Army, United way, the American Red Cross, and Santa’s Angels. The public can also donate to small organizations within their community such as churches, shelters, and community centers.
There are many websites that allows citizens to donate money in order to help put presents under trees. The most popular donation website around Christmas time is “Toys for Tots”. “Toys for Tots,” is an organization set up by the United States Marines. On this website one will be able to choose his or her state and country and be directed to a page that explains what the companies in a specific area are looking for. The website accepts online donations, and it also tells where toy drop sites are in order for people to give directly.
One can also donate money or gifts to other countries via samaritanspurse.org. There, one can “Send a Box” if you donate 35 dollars or people may decide to “Build a Box” for the same amount of money. In “Send a Box” the company chooses what gifts to put in a shoe box opposed to in “Build a Box” you are able to chose from toys online to put in a shoe box to be sent over seas. The majority of the people that visit this site choose to “Build a Box” because they are able to personalize it more. The donator is able to choose whether or not they want to send a shoebox full of toys to a boy or a girl and of what ages. This is a great way to make a child’s face light up on Christmas morning.
So when you are dong your holiday shopping, stop and think about the many small children that receive very little. Spread the holiday joy and donate to the less fortunate.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Healthy Holidays
by Lindsay WhiteIt is easier to click ‘buy’ on your computer than to go out and deal with the frantic holiday shopping. But what happens to all of that exercise spent walking around looking for deals? This is a bad time of the year to take a vacation from your exercise and health. Even though it is bitterly cold outside and the food is hard to deny, you should be keeping up with the same healthy routines.
One of the best things about exercise is that you can eat whatever you want (within reason) and then burn it off with some exercise. Do fifty jumping jacks or 100 crunches nightly to keep your fitness in shape. Parking in the back of the store parking lot instead of the front is a great way to burn a few calories. Also, take a friend with you to the gym and you can gossip there while running on the treadmill. But do not set unrealistic exercise goals. Allow twenty minutes instead of an hour if you are running late. Once the snow kicks in, shovel instead of snow blowing your walkway. Build a snowman or have a snowball fight. Even ice-skating is a great way to burn calories.
All of the foods that you mindlessly snack on tend to add up the calories you do not want. However, if done the right way, you can eat what you want and still be fit. Take eggnog for example. When you buy eggnog, try picking the light version. Also, use half eggnog and half milk when preparing a drink for yourself. Since eggnog is in the top 5 worst holiday foods. Along with dips, creamy soups, mashed potatoes, and pecan pie. Instead of a creamy spinach dip, use salsa. Instead of mashed potatoes, prepare roasted potatoes. And as for pecan pie, mostly any other dessert is better than this. Try pumpkin pie; it has less calories and fat.
When going to a holiday party, eat a little something before leaving to suppress your appetite. Since most of the food at the party will most likely be packed with calories. Take a little bit of everything you would like to try on a small plate. It stops you from over-eating and still keeps you satisfied. Staying hydrated is also important. Keep water with you at all times and sip when you feel your getting hungry. Most importantly be safe and have a good holiday!
Call Me Scrooge!
By: Ashley Tibbetts
The Halloween decorations weren’t even off the isles of Wal-Mart before Christmas music was being heard over the loud speakers! Although every year new artists re make these Christmas songs, they’re all the same. Every year stores and radio stations seem to be so excited for Christmas they can’t wait to play all their favorite songs, that we hear EVERY year. Do we really need Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and many other artists doing the same? It’s all the same. Call me Scrooge but come on! Storeowners and such play this continuous holiday music over and over again to the point where some can’t bare to hear it anymore. How many times do you have to listen to a song to get sick of it?
Maybe there should be a polite agreement with radio stations and store owners that permits them to only play Christmas music during the count down to Christmas, starting December 13th.
Salvation Army: "Merry Christmas to (almost) all!"
By Rachel Partlow
You’ve seen them every year, and are likely to see them again. They stand in the cold by a red kettle, tightly bundled up in winter clothes, ringing a bell until their arms ache. Who are they? They’re the Salvation Army, a Christian charity organization whose collected funds give shelters to the homeless and food to the hungry. But is Salvation Army all about good will and helping the unfortunate? Sadly, no. Much like other stricter Christian denominations, most Salvation Army members believe that homosexuality is a sin, and this belief has manifested itself in ugly ways.
For legal reasons they are not allowed to discriminate against members. However, many employees have complained of Salvation Army’s anti-gay hiring practices. On Salvation Army’s official webpage, it is stated that 83 cents of every dollar collected goes straight to charity. But what of the other 17 cents? It is this fraction of money that allows Salvation Army to lobby to congress against gay rights. In fact, New York Times reported that the Salvation Army went to the White House to override anti-discrimination laws. It doesn’t take a lot of thought to guess who they were trying to gain the right to discriminate against.
Perhaps the Salvation Army’s worst homophobic offense happened in San Francisco. There, the Salvation Army refused government funding and closed several of their programs because of domestic partner laws. It just seems alarming that the Salvation Army would sacrifice aid to the poor just to show their incompliance with gay rights.
Nonetheless, Salvation Army does more good than it does harm, and not all its members share its views. It still remains the United State’s second largest provider of social aid, and it still helps more than thirty six million Americans. So next time you pass a charity collect, and think to donate, make sure you know exactly where your money is going.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
G’zOne Ravine
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.
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.
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
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)