Who is Vladimir Lenin

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov or famously known as Vladimir Lenin was born 22 April 1870Simbirsk, former Russian Empire. However, who was he and why does he matter?

Lenin grew up in the small city formerly known as Simbirsk now Ulyanovsk. He had three brothers and three sisters, his parents Ilya Ulyanov, and Maria Blank. Following his brother, Alexanders execution in 1887 due to a bomb they found that was supposed to kill Tsar Nicholas Romanov ll. Lenin took the news well are proceeded in his life, but since his brother was a terrorist, he would get kicked out of college. Later he moved to St Petersburg and started reading the writings of Karal Marx. Later in 1893, he became the head of a Marxist study group. Then in 1897, Lenin was arrested for sedition and exiled to Siberia for three years, where he married Nadezhda Krupskaya. After his exile, Lenin moved to Munich, where he became a prominent theorist in the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP). Moreover, he kept on writing his revolutionary theories, later to be known as Leninism. His writing would be transported to Russia by smugglers one of which Josef Stalin, later dictator of the USSR. In 1903, Lenin took a vital role in an RSDLP ideological divide, leading the Bolshevik (the majority in English) faction against Julius Martov's Mensheviks (The minority in English). In 1904, he moved to Switzerland with his wife to write about his ideas in peace. Later in 1905, there was a peaceful protest outside of the Russian palace where workers were protesting for equal rights. When Nicholas commanded to police to shoot the protesters, over 1 thousand people died. This just outraged people more. After this Lenin moved from Switzerland to Russia again, Lenin was almost caught again in Russia writing about how to start a revolution, so he fled to Switzerland. In 1914 Russia was pulled into WW1 hullting everyone revolutionary plans. In 1917 the tsar was overthrown and replaced by a Provisional Government. However, after this, they just went back to war which was the whole reason they overthrew the Tsar. People were outraged and still wanted a revolution. In 1917 the Germans sent Lenin on a train to Russia to stir up political unrest. After Lenin arrived in Russia he made a speech in public saying the revolution was not over and they had done a lousy job, but no one was listening. Later that year he fled to Finland due to people calling him a German spy. In October of 1917, he snuck back into St. Petersburg and met up with his comrades. Then they broke into the winter palace and captured the government members at gunpoint. In one night Lenin became the leader of the USSR with none being harmed. He continued to lead his country promising what they wanted, “Peace, bread, and land.” His first act as leader was to end the war with Germany. In 1920 Lenin was shot twice in the chest, but later recovering. Later after a famon swept over Russia Lenin stopped communism and let the people sell their crops. This worked and later Lenin continued. In 1924 Lenin died of a stroke. Even though his reign was short, he changed the course of history is to the best leader of the Soviets and a brilliant mind.

sources:

https://youtu.be/BX1g-l7mrOY

https://youtu.be/wSWT8oPb1mM

The Story Of Flamin' Hot Cheetos

What do I think is one of the best things in the world? Eating a Flaming Hot Cheeto. If you have never eaten one before, you should consider it. Not only are normal Cheetos delicious, but flaming hot cheetos have a memorable taste you will never forget. When you put one in your mouth you will NEVER go back to eating a normal Cheeto ever again. So many people in the world love flaming hot cheetos, they are just a part of their life. People just can’t get enough of these things, including me. There are even Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Bagels, Flamin’ Hot Mac n’ Cheetos, hot Cheetos Crispy Treats, Cheeto-Rito’s, etc. There is even a rap song about Flaming Hot Cheetos. 
They will make your fingers red with their flavor, and when you lick it off it will make you feel amazing. The reason I prefer them over regular cheetos, or other snacks, is that these have a different flavor I just can’t get enough of. In my opinion, one of the coolest facts about Flaming Hot Cheetos, is the story of how they were invented. The man who invented them was Richard Montañez, and he worked as a janitor at Frito Lay. Then one day as Montañez was shadowing a salesman, he realized none of the Frito Lay products have a hot and spicy taste, so he grabbed some chilli powder. He was able to get some cheetos without the cheese coating, because of a broken machine at the factory. He took the cheetos home and dusted them off with some of his chilli powder, and from then on it took some hard work but Flaming Hot Cheetos were born. If you want to read more about their story click here. Even though they are spicy, they are one of the best things in the whole world, so we should all appreciate them, and the hard work it took to create them.

The Golden Age of Aviation

        I enjoy flying and am always fascinated about how a journey from the east to west coast of the United States that originally took about six months now takes less than six hours. But what caused this dramatic shift of travel time? What made an expedition that tests bravery, endurance, and health a matter of casual relaxation?

The Douglas DC-3 had the industry at a stalemate.

The Lockheed Constellation, another American offering.

     
        To be honest, it wasn't a very fast transition. Although people immediately saw commercial potential in what literally started in a barn at Kittyhawk, passenger aviation didn't take off until the 30s, and when World War II emerged, the entire industry was grounded as the focus shifted to building fighters and military transports. However, during the post war era, a golden age for passenger aviation began, and the industry reemerged. The number of passengers increased, and airlines started to thrive. But, the most impressive advancement was in the field of manufacturing planes themselves. The United States left the second world war with more experience designing and building cargo planes. They were able to modify their designs to allow for passenger transport, and by doing so cornered the industry. In fact, around this time, about 90% of the world's air travelers were flying aboard American-built Douglas DC-3s. Other countries– Britain for example– had been focusing on bombers and other aircraft not suited for carrying commercial payload during WWII, and therefore had to rebuild their industry. But in order to gain the spotlight, they had to do something incredible. Alas, the Comet was born.

        The accepted reasoning of aircraft propulsion was that jet engines did not produce enough thrust relative to the amount of fuel they consumed. But that reality was starting to slide, as piston engines were becoming larger and being loaded with superchargers to squeeze out what more thrust they could produce, and with these new efforts, their efficiency was starting to diminish. So the De Havilland company of Britain was given the task of creating the first commercial jetliner. During the design process, they used decoy designs to give the public the wrong idea, so when the final design of the Comet was revealed, the world was shocked. Even today, I consider its design to be awesome. Its sleek wings, elegant look and beautiful aerodynamics were straight out of the future. Its four ghost jet engines were integrated into the wing, making it look even more stunning. With this aircraft looking modern even today, you can imagine the impression it had on the public back then. Not only was it good-looking, but it was also more advanced. Instead of flying at the conventional altitude of 10,000 feet, it would cruise at 40,000 feet, where the air was thinner and weather was less problematic. But, to do so, it had to have a highly pressurized cabin, and while other planes had these kinds of cabins, no other flew so high.

A Comet 1, one of the original types.

     
        The Comet made its maiden flight on January 9th of 1951, and immediately started receiving orders from airlines all over the world. It cut travel times in half, and became renowned for its pristine service and passenger comfort. To fly on this plane was considered a luxury mostly done by upper middle class and wealthier individuals. This is one of the reasons I envy the travelers that flew on this plane.
     
        De Havilland was enjoying their new-found superiority in the industry, and produced several early models of the Comet. But within a year, things started to go wrong. Most travelers didn't question the safety of this plane, and when two Comets overshot the runway in 1952 and 1953, the pilots were blamed. However, De Havilland later corrected a wing fault that resulted in loss of lift. Not long after though, another Comet disintegrated in a thunderstorm just after takeoff from Calcutta, and in 1954, another accident occurred, this one far worse. While flying in perfect conditions near Rome, a Comet exploded during its climb. After these incidents, BOAC, the company operating the planes from Calcutta and Rome, grounded their fleet of Comets while an investigation occurred. but after no conclusions were drawn, BOAC resumed their operations as planned ten weeks after the incident. But, only two weeks later, another Comet suffered the same fate outside of Rome. With this, public confidence in the Comet shattered, and its Airworthiness Awards were revoked. De Havilland had no choice but to stop all operations of their once famed fleet. for months, an investigation was conducted, and the cause of the accident was revealed to be fatigue in the fuselage caused by pressurization and amplified by the square windows on the plane.
     
        Unfortunately, this was the end of De Havilland's superiority. While they rushed to correct the faults in their plane, other companies were catching on. The same year that the Comet 4 was released, Boeing released their 707 and Douglas began their jet era with their DC-8. Then came Tupolev's 104 and Ilyushin's IL-62. These larger, and less expensive options offered a further flight range, and therefore were easily able to compete with the original jetliner. The Comet 4 had just 76 deliveries to airlines, a fraction compared to over 500 DC-8s and more than 1,000 Boeing 707s.

Douglas DC-8 (556 Deliveries)

Boeing 707 (1010 Deliveries)

        Although it had its troubles, this plane's mistakes paved the way for the future of the industry. Boeing even admitted that they would have made the same mistakes if it weren't for the Comet. This aircraft may seem normal, but without it, transcontinental flight might still be a dream. The technological marvel of the Comet still inspires me and makes me wonder how humans can achieve such things. Sometimes, I wonder what the future will look like, and with that, transportation. What will the next generation of aerospace look like? Let's just say, "We're not there yet."

Knowing Myself As a Learner

As a learner, I work better in groups because for me it is easier to have members of my group to lean on and rely on. For example, I really liked FAME and I think I learned better in FAME because I did not only learn the things I researched but I had a team I could learn from. Since I know myself and how I learn better in groups this unit Revolutions has been harder for me because I had to rely on my own research and planing my schedule of when I was going to complete certain assignments.

With Cultures being a researched-based class, it has been sort of easy because I can find the information I need and record it. It has also been easy being in a research-based class because I can remember information and understand what I research in depth. But it has not been all easy. I also have some struggles in Cultures. Some of my struggles this year are when I take notes. Sometimes I cannot pull out the big picture ideas from the tiny, not as important ideas. Cultures, being a research-based class, for me is a good way to learn because I am good at researching information and remembering it. Some strategies for researching I use are videos because they are easy and explain a lot since I am a visual learner, I also use websites with lot's of information. Finally, having a place to record the information,like an online document or piece of paper, is always helpful. Some ways I think I can improve my learning in this class are by slowing down and capturing all big picture ideas  and important details.












Image source: http://clipart-library.com/clipart/1293096.htm

Skiing

One thing I have been looking forward to since last year is skiing. Skiing is my favorite sport and this is my third year doing ski bus. I am someone likes to get straight to the actual doing of whatever I am doing instead of planning and talking and all that boring stuff. I normally rush through things like homework or art just to get to the end. Everything is kind of a race. That's why skiing appealed to me, it's fast and there is not a lot of talking involved. I started skiing when I was 4 and have been doing it ever since. When someone first starts skiing, it's one of those things that terrible and hard until you get the hang of it.

When I was a lot younger, I thought I was the best skier in the world. Than one day, I met someone who was not only better than me at skiing, but younger than me too. For some reason, this really upset me because then I came to the conclusion that there were people out there better than me. From then on I discovered that I was not the best at everything even if I thought I was. That was a valuable life lesson.

Something new for me was teaching others to ski. Last winter, I taught my neighbor how to ski. He learned really fast and it was nice to ski with him. Watching him

In the future, I hope to slow down a bit as my teachers have been telling me in every single report ever. On the rare occasions I have followed up on this resolution, it's really been nice to be confident about my work and my effort.

How PCs are the Ultimate Gaming Machine, and Consoles are Misleading

Video Games. One of the most profitable, and most popular forms of entertainment. A form of media where the most different of people can sit down and have a good time. However, nothing can be without controversy, and the catch of gaming is that before you play, you have to choose a console. Most people just blindly buy a PlayStation or Xbox just because they've the names in advertisements, and while I do admit that once described me, I have discovered that PCs are ultimately superior in every way. But why have so many people fallen into the trap of console gaming? How can so many people be oblivious to all the wasted dollars they're throwing down the drain?

                                                                                                                                                        This all boils down to anti-consumerist companies such as Sony, Microsoft, and Apple spreading false information. I won't go too in-depth into Apple, because that has already been covered by Kamran's blog, Is Apple Scamming You?. "How are those companies anti-consumerist?" you might be asking, "They bring powerful gaming at lower prices." This is exactly what these companies want you to think. You see, this is what Microsoft and Sony do,they pander to the majority of gamers. Casual players who don't want to be spending too much. They lure you in with shiny plastic buttons, and trick you into thinking this is "powerful gaming", when a GTX 760, a $150 graphics card card from 3 years ago, can out preform the Xbox one S, and the PlayStation 4 Pro, both new consoles that have only been released a few months ago

Source: CyberPowerPC.com

One of the ugliest truths of console gaming is the joke that is premium memberships. Sadly, I first learned about this just after I forked over my last twenty dollars. Basically, as multiplayer games such as Call of Duty, and Battlefield became increasingly more popular, consoles saw this, and starting charging players $10 a month ($120 a year) to play their favorite games online. While this service is completely free on PC, console gamers see no problem with this, even going as far as to defend this obvious scam, saying that money is being used properly maintaining the servers. News flash, servers don't cost anything for the companies making the consoles anymore. Companies such as Blizzard or Activision handle the servers for their games.

It is believed that consoles have more exclusives, and PCs just get the salty backwash of games that are already on Xboxes and PlayStations. This is quite the opposite, actually, as PCs have hundreds, maybe even thousands more than consoles could even dream of, and most of the time they're of a higher quality than your average Halo clone. Games on PC are also much cheaper, with services such as Steam having huge sales very frequently. Just last month I bought Just Cause 3 for $10 (normally $40). Not to mention, games on PCs drop in price much quicker, whereas console games usually linger above $40 for about a year. This doesn't even include bundles. A new way of purchasing games on PC, bundles allow you to pay a single dollar to get upwards of ten different games. I can't even count the amount of money I've saved using sites like Bundle Stars, or Humble Bundle.

The most common factor I hear spoken about when defending consoles, is the initial price tag of a PC. Most starting builds, gaming-wise, are usually going to range in price from $450-$700. Now while this is slightly more expensive than the $400-$500 of a console, PCs are much cheaper in the long run. The graph to the right (created by Andrea Brandi on stari.co), shows the total price a PC, a PlayStation 4, and an Xbox One over the span of eight years, if you buy 40 games, and eight years of an online subscription. Eight years, is also about how long it takes until a new generation console is released, so theoretically it could cost you even more to play on consoles than the graph shows, if you buy a new one each time one comes out. The same could be said for PCs if you upgrade your hardware during that time, but upgrading one small component for a PC would cost way less than buying an entirely new console.

That isn't even close to the entire story, I haven't discussed controllers, and how it's nearly impossible to use them, fauly hardware, the fact that PCs can be used for more than just gaming (work, music, and internet, just to name a few), the insanely huge modding communtiy on PC. I could go on and on about why consoles are plain bad, but in the end, what's really at fault is the anti-consumerist, all for profit ideology that's ruining companies, and the commercial market as a whole. In theory, consoles could be great for the consumer, and for the company, but after years of milking gamers for everything that they can get, consoles and their respective companies have sunk to the spot they're at now. A laughing stock for the PC community, and just flat out not worth the money

The evolution of skiing

The evolution of skiing

Skiing, a sport where mental and physical wellness can get you to the Olympics. Although skiing can just be for fun there is a large variety of ski disciplines; such as Nordic (cross-country, ski jump, and biathlon) and Alpine (downhill, super G, GS, and slalom).
Although skiing is a new sport for some people, it is not a new sport in the slightest. Skis were invented 5,000 years ago where stone age hunters searched for reindeer and elk herds in Central Asia's Altai region, moving to the northeast. Hunters used skis covered in fur which acted as a modern day climbing skins. During the middle ages, skis were used by many hunters, Scandinavian farmers, and warriors. By the 18th century, some groups of the Swedish Army competed and trained on skis. Around 1840, woodcarvers in the province of Telemark, Norway developed the cambered skis. The bow-shaped cambered skis that arched up to the center to distribute the skier's weight evenly. Before this advancement, skis had to be very thick which allowed them to glide down the mountain without bowing downward and sinking into the snow under the skier's weight.
Recreational skiing is a nearly all age activity. Some variations of recreational skiing are cross-country, helicopter skiing, skinning up to the top of the mountain, free skiing, and park skiing. Cross-country skiing, an activity where the skier relay's on their locomotion to move across the hill rather than using a ski lift. Helicopter skiing, an off-trail activity that can only be accessed by helicopter. Skinning is an activity where the skier is able to hike up the mountain using strips of nylon and fabric. The strips of nylon and fabric are designed to grab the surface, prevented the skier from sliding downhill.  Freeskiing is an activity where people are skiing with no competitive interest. Park skiing, an activity filled with jumps, rails, jibs, and other obstacles. This activity resulted in the growth of snowboarding combined with the progression of freestyle skiing.

   Alpine ski racing comes in many variations, such as  Downhill, Super G, Slalom, and GS. Starting at the ages of six, young athletes can begin to race. Other than the high physical strength and technical skill needed to ski race, mental awareness is equally or even more important. You need to be mentally strong for ski racing because you need to know the race course, you need to be ready for high-speed decisions in a course, and mental recovery after a crash or disqualification.  Slalom, is a discipline where the ski gates are placed closer together, making you turn quickly and needing to be ready for the next turn as fast as possible. All the ski gates in Super G, Downhill, and GS are spaced farther away from each other than Slalom gates are. As you get older you are given the choice to ski more disciplines, such Suger G and Downhill. Once you are 12 years old or a U14 you are able to ski Super G. Once you are 17 years old or a U19 you are able to ski all of the disciplines. Once you become 16 years old you are able to go to the Olympics. At 12 years old I am allowed to race three different disciplines, Super G, Slalom, and GS. My favorite discipline is Super G because it gives me the opportunity to do what I really love skiing for which is the speed. Something I find challenging about ski racing is the fact that a mistake during a course that can gain even a millisecond can cause you losing first place.
The evolution of skiing from a necessity for hunters in the stone ages to a world-recognized sport and an Olympic competition. To me, ski racing is a great way for me to use my mental, physical, and technical strength. I love to ski because I want to go fast, I want to be challenged, and I always want to be able to challenge myself. In the future, I would like to see skiing equipment much safer and with better technology than it has now. Personally, I would like to make it to the World cups and to keep enjoying the sport. Even though we don't need to ski in order to have food, we ski because it is an unlifting and breathtaking sport.

Source:
https://www.skiinghistory.org/history/timeline

Is Apple Scamming You?

Technology today is constantly in a state of fluctuation. Whether it be evolution of the technology itself or the price, there is no denying this. While almost all companies have been attempting to incorporate the latest and greatest chips from AMD and Intel, one company ships out chips that feel outdated. Apple, at times, feels like a company that should be along side Ubisoft and EA. Those were some bold comments about one of the most well-known companies ever, so why would one think like this? Well, let's find out!

Credit: Apple.com

The first thing that I want to talk about is Apple's marketing. Talking about Apple's marketing is, to say the least, a tricky business. Their marketing is different across each one of their products. Let's, for the sake of finishing, focus of marketing will be on the iPad and MacBook line of products. First on the chopping block, the iPad. The iPad today is one of Apple's most talked about product. Take a look at this market campaign from the recently released, iPad Mini 4. Up above is the punchline for the iPad Mini 4. Note the period in between mighty and small. It is the little details that can drive an average consumer to buy a company's' product. Apple has their slogan there, then they have some programs that look like they are running very beautifully. Taking into account the marketing for the iPad, let's move on to the MacBook.
To the right you can see the slogan for the 2016 MacBook. Again, note the period between light and years ahead. While the light part may be true, the years ahead is extremely misleading. If you have been using Apple's products you may think that this is true, because you have been mislead. While yes, the light part of this is true as I said before and is quite innovative for the people who travel a lot, it is pretty much the only option for these people and it costs $1299-$1599. While you could argue for portability, it becomes immediately immediate that this computer is not years ahead, at all.
Now for part 2 of our deseeding of Apple, specs. Yes, I am going there. First, the continuation of the MacBook. Please note; for the specs of the MacBook the specs are coming directly from the Apple website (click here to see the proof) and is the $1599 version. First off, no graphics card. No, graphics cards are not just for nerdy video games. If you want to learn more about computer with video games, check out Max's blog post. Video editing is relied heavily on graphics power. Apple offers an excellent form of video editing called Final Cut Pro but, can it really be used to the fullest when the processor is the one doing all the work? Short answer, no. People build graphics intensive computers, just to get the video editing done. Adobe's Premier and After Affects are just a few examples of these programs that are graphics intensive. While Final Cut Pro may be an excellent program, it is an Apple exclusive and if you really want to put it to good use, you may have to buy an even more expensive Apple computer (Mac Pro). While we are still on the topic of specifications, customization is huge and is totally pro-consumer. An average consumer may think that buying a product is just that, buying a product. The well informed consumer knows that you have to look into the long term. Apple tries to focus on the demographic of non-informed average consumers. While someone may say that building a computer is something for gamers or video editors, you could build a fast computer, with a graphics card and a headphone jack, for about $400-500 and get quite a bit of life out of it. Once the computer starts slowing down, go ahead and upgrade. Well, what if one does not know how to build a computer. Two words for those people, the internet. Doing some research and asking people for help will help a lot. For my last point, innovation. Apple used to be innovation. The iPhone revolutionized the way one uses a cellular device. The Apple I was one of the first computers that was accessible to a wider demographic. Even the iBook introduced the idea of bringing a desktop on the go. Then, it stopped. We got minor upgrades and some degrades with yearly releases. The iPhones began to release half-baked models of each others in the form of the, "S" models.

An excellent example of a lack of innovation is the new MacBook Pro. Apple released two versions of the new MacBook Pro. One, was just a rehash of the previous model but with USB type C (that is a discussion for a whole different day) and one had a brand new touch sensor on it. Without diving too deep into it, the USB type C fiasco is absolutely ridiculous. You give me a touch bar to play around with, and you remove normal USB types? This is an example where Apple hypes stuff up like alchemy. For those who do not know what alchemy was, it was a myth of sorts that was aimed to make everyday objects into gold. What I mean when I say this is that Apple says that something else is the future, and does something flat out bad with it. The USB C idea is pretty bad, but not nearly as revolting as something else. Something that most saw coming from a mile away, the lack of a headphone jack on the iPhone 7. In today's day and age iPhone's are some of the biggest products that Apple has released. Apple, this is the one time where you sold worse in sales than the previous year. This is without a doubt because of the lack of a headphone jack. Apple tried to make up for this by giving us new colors such as Jet and Matte Black, but the damage has been done. Apple, I hope you learned your lesson with that. This concludes my blog post. Apple is the modern day equivalent to alchemy, promising something, and never delivering to its full potential. Promising gold, but never able to create it. Looks like people liked the headphone jack, eh Apple? Apple is the modern day equivalent to alchemy. They say every year that they will create the best product on the market, but are never actually able to. Alchemy had the same thing, promising gold from simple objects and while that is a cool idea, you would have to change the entire molecular structure. Who knows what is to come with the next iPhone. Maybe, they will put back the headphone jack? Probably not. Slow clap Apple, you just earned it.

Basketball, More Than Just a Game

James Naismith

James Naismith is the man who, in 1891, started the incredible game of basketball. All of the plays, from perfect pick 'n' rolls, to breathtaking crosscourt passes, to blocks and posterizing dunks that leave the crowd with chills down their spine, it all started from a single peach basket. The NBA (National Basketball Association), now has 30 official teams, a sixteen team playoff, and seven game series. This was not the case in years past. 

 January 20th, 1892. The first official basketball game is played in Albany, New York, with an end score of 1-0. February 14, 2017. Cavaliers 116, Timberwolves 108. How did this happen, might ask. How did 125 years and 23 days change the sport of basketball? That is what I'm gonna tell you about. The first recorded college game was in 18953 Hamline University played Minnesota A&M. Minnesota won 9-3. The following are some of the major rule changes and other events that affected basketball. 

• 1954-54 season. The 24-second shot clock is introduced
• 1979-80 season. Three-point line is established
• 1947-48 season. Foul out limit is increased from 5 to 6. Roster size reduced from 12-10
• 1972-73 season. The bonus, double bonus is invented
• 1977-78 season. During the last two minutes of regulation or overtime, if teams call a timeout right after getting possession of the ball, they get the choice of where they inbound the ball, midcourt of spot of possession. 
• 1980-81 season. Coach on opposing team chooses who shoots free throw after flagrant. 

Basketball means a lot to me. I went from the kid who couldn't make a layup, who was worst on his b team, to leading the B team as the youngest kid, to being on the A team as a young kid. It isn't great, but that improvement has meant a lot to me. I went from not knowing who Lebron James was, to taking NBA quizzes for fun to test my knowledge. When I needed someplace to go, outside to my basketball hoop is where I go. Playing basketball at lunch. Basketball after school. Watching the Blazers in the evening. Basketball has become a daily routine that I love. This year I've been trying to focus on my defense and physicality, getting one foot in front of the ball handler and stopping his drive. I've been known as the sharpshooter, the guy who is great at threes. While I like that, I want to be more. This season I worked on ramming into the defender in the key, right after I make a sweet shot fake and drive in. I want to get rebounds, and that has worked given that my leading stat is in fact rebounds. Basketball has become part of me, and I love it in every different way. 

CJ McCollum is my favorite player. Shooting Gaurd, just like me. Not the tallest guy, just like me. I admire his athleticism, going from averaging 5 points a game, to Most Improved Player, averaging over twenty points. He's extremely physical, and is also a sharpshooter, like me. He goes to the small name schools. Catlin Gabel. Lehigh. He is what I'd love to be. Basketball player, yet part-time journalist. I would love to be a sports writer. It is my dream job, going to major sports events, front row seats, writing about sports. Perfect for me. If I ever meet CJ, I'd be incredibly honored, knowing that he is my living dream.

I don't know if I could live without basketball. What would I do? How would I procrastinate :)? Going outside to shoot a sphere into the 18-inch diameter circle, going straight through the orange lining and creating the perfect "swoosh" sound as it ripples through the net. My favorite part about basketball though, is away games. I love away games. They are way better than home. The crowd cheering loudly fuels me, players who's faces I just look at and I want to cross up and drain a three in their face, they fuel me. Team's pregame chants and loud clapping, the rowdy parents who yell at the ref, that used to scare me. Now it just brings a smile to my face, thinking, 'wow, this is gonna be a fun night'. 

Twitter, the political platform

Why is twitter so popular these days? Why can't I go a conversation without hearing about our presidents exploits on this social media? The answer may have something to do with the way it makes us feel connected.

Despite our presidents vulgar comments on twitter, it is still a great place. You can talk to your friends, see what other people are doing, and find funny memes! All of these actions have one thing in common: they all make you feel good. In general, the reason why people use twitter is to make them feel good. Humans have a natural need to feel connected to their environment. When we have no idea what other people are doing, we worry that there is some great party or something going on without us. This feeling is called the Fear Of Missing Out, or FOMO. FOMO is a common symptom associated with social media addiction. Some ways to counteract this are to generally disconnect from technology for a while. Take a walk, or go on a hike in a forest near your house with you dog.

Social media causes us to be connected to environment. But at what point is connected too connected?

Skateboarding, a Misconceived Sport

For as long as most can remember, it’s been a common misconception that those who skateboard are almost always associated with drugs, alcohol, tattoos, vandalism, and crime. So how did people begin thinking this way?

Skateboarding is often associated with vandalism

Skateboarding has been around since about the late 1940’s. The first skateboards were created by children, which they did by attaching roller skate wheels to a board. Skateboarding was first invented in California as a way for surfers to ride and have fun when the waves were flat. Soon enough, skaters began experimenting with riding down steep hills, ditches, and pools. Skateboarding quickly became associated with crime when teens trespassed into people’s property, drained their pools, and had fun with their friends for a little while, until the police came. Already, skateboarders were assumed as trespassers and criminals.

The skateboarding troupe grew during the 1980’s, when drug use spiked. Listening to punk rock, vandalizing property with graffiti, and skateboarding were all promoted as a part of the culture. Thrasher, a skateboarding magazine founded in 1981, was a symbol of the skate-punk culture.

However, the skate community was never homogenous. While many of the skaters stuck true to the stereotypes, there have always been people breaking them. Over the years, the vandalizing, drug-using, and criminal skateboarding typecast has faded out. People are setting new records every day in the skateboarding world.

In our current year, many people still choose to view skateboarding as an accessory of rebellious teens.

 

♡

Sometimes, I feel uncomfortable when I'm crusing down the blocks near my house, or when my brother and I make the whole neighborhood echo when we land tricks. There are always those older neighbors, mowing their lawns, staring at us with disapproving faces. At a young age, I was taught by just street signs that skateboarding was bad. In films and movies, skateboarding was almost always done by the gangster and thug characters. Even when walking to the grocery store, I saw signs with the all-familiar stick figure, this time riding a skateboard. The image had a big red circle with a cross through it. This sent a clear message - no skateboarding.

When skateboarding was first coined, it was dominated by men. There were no rules that stated it, but for many years, no girl had stepped foot into the world of skateboarding. In this day and age, this is no longer true. Jordyn Barratt, Arianna Carmona, Natalie Westling, and Poppy Starr are all female skateboarders breaking the boundaries of skateboarding today. Sky Brown, one of my biggest idols, an 8 year old girl, became the youngest female skateboarder to compete (against adults!) in the Vans US Open Pro Series.

Sky Brown

As a girl who enjoys skateboarding in 2017, I have never felt weird, or been put down about it
because I'm a girl. Our society has evolved so much in this way, and I'm proud to say it.

Today, skateboarding is a sport still categorized into a crime by some. Nonetheless, it has evolved into a sport that many continue to enjoy. Whether it’s drifting along an empty road with ease, or showing off the coolest tricks, skateboarding is an art that we can all enjoy.

♡

What it's like to be the baby in the family

It’s said that being the oldest in the family comes with much freedom and responsibility. I’ve always wondered what that’s like because I come from a family where I am the youngest of four. Being the youngest of four has many advantages and disadvantages. One of the best things I’ve gotten from my siblings is that I can observe the mistakes they’ve made and learn from them. I know what buttons not to push and how to go about situations.

As well as learning from my siblings mistakes, I’ve also gained a few more advantages. Even though my siblings and I aren’t very close in age, they have my back and I can look up to them for help or advice. My oldest sister, for example, has always been somewhat of a leader. If I’m stressed about a test or about writing an essay, she is someone I can go to for advice.

Although I’ve attained many positive advantages from my siblings, there are also disadvantages that I’ve stumbled upon. Siblings are known to argue and tease each other. When I was younger, my brother and I fought almost everyday. He saw me as an easy target to make fun of and he could blame me for things I didn't do. I was also very gullible and both of my siblings could take advantage of that.

Another big disadvantage I face is comparing myself to my siblings. I’ve always been very strong with athletics, especially soccer, whereas my siblings are highly intelligent. I often compare my achievements to theirs and worry if I will ever be as smart as they are. As well, I generally worry if my parents are comparing me too my siblings and if I will ever be good enough to meet their standards.

Even though I haven't always loved being the youngest, I wouldn't think of changing my situation. I've learned from my siblings mistakes and I can always look up to them for support, even when they try to tease me. My siblings have helped me become more mature and have made me the person I am today.

The Misunderstood Shark

                Sharks of all kinds are feared by the human race. Personally as a person that loves sharks is worried for the future of sharks. I first discovered I liked sharks when my family brought me to the Natural History Museum in New York City. Mostly I was bored until we got to the ocean exhibit, thats when my eyes widened. I started running around looking at all the different plastic creatures and the I turn around and I see this massive jaw filled with razor sharp teeth. Im sure I tried to touch it and my parents quickly stopped me from getting a nasty cut but who knows. From that point on I new I loved the ocean and I especially loved sharks. 
               Right now there are approximately 470 known species of shark in the world, but it's impossible to count the exact number of individual sharks on the planet.World Wildlife Fund estimates that more than 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins. An d guess how many humans are killed each year… 26 was the most reported deaths in 2010. A vending machine is more likely to kill you that a shark. 
              Sharks live everywhere, they rang from Antarctica to Australia. They are everywhere. Now I don't mean to scare you but almost everywhere you go that is near the ocean, theres a shark. And you shouldn't be scared anyway, if I were to ask you right now why you were afraid of sharks, more than half of you will say something along the lines of "They eat people" or "they are blood thirsty flesh eating demons. or somewhere in that zone. But really they aren't hostile creatures.
             Sharks of all kinds have pretty common diet. they are all carnivores, But people have actually found some pretty wired things inside of a sharks stomach. here is a small list of things scientist have found in side a sharks stomach; Polar Bears, Reindeer, Licenses plates, Tires, Chicken coop complete with chickens, A full suit of armor, a fur coat, rubber boots, porcupine, video cameras, a horse head, and a bag of money. Now thats just a few things. You can probably imagine what else they eat. I guess they eat anything except for their veggies.
            Sharks have bad reputations because of movies and stories. The one movie that you always think about is… you guest it JAWS. Jaws was the first movie that really set off the whole flesh eating shark craze. Jaws is about this 25ft shark that is thirsty for blood and the main character, Brody, to save his town from this "monster" I won't say much more but there were sequels that just increased the fear with sharks.       
             Due to movies like this sharks are facing extinction. Over 1 million sharks are killed each year. People will either kill them for sport or some ail kill them for a tasteless soup made with their fins. It is a tradition in some countries to eat shark fin soup but is it really worth it? How they do it: First they catch the shark, cut off its fins and throw the animal back into the water to die slowly while bleeding uncontrollably. They leave the poor thing on the bottom of the ocean to die. 
       My goal is to make shark finning illegal all over the world. They have already done this in a few places fro example it is Illegal to shark fin in that state of hawaii. If sharks keep getting killed at this rate they will be gone in the next few decades. We need to stop this. You can help by going to here and donating even just $10 to help them stop this. I have done this, WWF is an great foundation to help. I hope you will learn to love sharks just as I did.

Thanks,
Sophie

Why I do sports.

Why I Choose To Do Sports

              Sports are a significant part of America's culture and I choose for them to also be a part of my life. I have always wondered how some people decide not to play sports, because for me, it is an outlet where I can let go of what I'm feeling and do what I love. After I am done playing, I always feel incredibly good and accomplished. I play three sports and I love them all equally: tennis, cross country, and track.  


                When I say sports are an outlet for me, I mean that I can put my emotions into what I'm doing and, not only does it make play better, but it also helps me manage my feelings.  For example, in tennis, if I am angry for whatever reason, I can keep that thought in my mind and it will make me swing harder. I take my emotions and kind of convert them into energy. Studies show that exercising can help decrease mild depression, anxiety, stress, and can even help relieve trauma. After I am done with my lesson, I feel less worked up about the situation and it becomes easier to resolve. 

           

                   Another reason I do sports is because I feel better about myself and my body when I consistently commit to doing it. If I am on vacation and I choose not to run, during the day I will feel lazier and not want to do many things. According to Heart.org: "Without regular physical activity, the body slowly loses its strength, stamina and ability to function well." I think this is because of the lack of moving around and getting out of that stage where you don't want to get out of your home.

           



                 After I'm finished doing a sport it makes me more focused at my next activity and also makes it easier to get enough sleep. Sometimes when I am doing homework or learning in class I feel really energetic and I don't know what to do with the energy. That makes it hard to process the information I am getting. This is one of the reasons we have PE, lunch, and break. The Spark PE website declares that having PE can lead to "enhanced concentration and attention as well as improved classroom behavior." So we can get out all of our energy and become able to learn. I can also get more sleep from playing sports because I am drained of energy so I can fall asleep right away.

     
                   I asked my mom if she played sports when she was younger and she said no. She said that not exercising made her feel disconnected from her body and less strong. "After I discovered exercising, I had more energy, I felt confident and strong." This is why I choose to do sports and I would encourage others to do the same. Playing sports and exercising helps you interpret your emotions, feel better about yourself and and your body, focus in school and home work, get more sleep, and just to be a happier healthier person in general.

"Run often, run long, but never out run your joy of running." - Julia Isphording

Sources:

• https://www.helpguide.org/articles/exercise-fitness/emotional-benefits-of-exercise.htm
• http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/StartWalking/Physical-activity-improves-quality-of-life_UCM_307977_Article.jsp#.WI5hhDtlmi4
• http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/how-physical-activity-affects-academic-performance/

There are Lot's of Reasons for the Industrial Revolution, But Mill Girls Were the Ones That Caused it to Start

The invention of the first power looms started the textile industry and triggered the industrial revolution. The Spinning Jenny, invented in 1764 by James Hargreaves, was one of the very first power looms. Mill girls, also known as factory girls, were the ones that work them. Families hoping to earn more money, would usually be traveling from different farms into an urban society, hoping to get better jobs and wages. So when advertisements went up saying how they wanted girls and women to come work at the mills, many traveled far for the new job offer, leaving families to go work in the mills.

Girls who left for the mills usually only left because of poverty, which caused many to go desperately in search for good money. Many women and girls who found jobs at the mills, thought working in a factory brought a sense of freedom, earning their own money without the help of parental authority or guardians. Also, boarding houses were provided as places to sleep, as well as a parlor, dining room, and kitchen. Despite all the benefits though, for some, it was compared to the life of a slave. Working for long hours every day, getting a low-paid wage, and living in harsh working conditions made it easy to believe that. I know for myself, that I don’t wake up every day to go to work, but to learn things at school. Working six days a week, mill girls were constantly laboring in the mills for 66 hours a week. Comparing that to my own life, I go to school for nearly half the amount of those hours.

A sample schedule for the mill girls in Lowell, Massachusetts went like this:

1. 4:30 AM the morning bell located in the center of the boarding houses rings for breakfast.
2. 5:30 AM work starts, all girls and women heading out to the power looms for their jobs.
3. 12:00 PM ring in for lunch with the bell.
4. 12:35 PM ring out to commence work.
5. 6:30 PM the bell rings so that the mill girls come in for dinner.

I wake up at 7:00 AM, and go to school for about 7 hours, far less than the mill girls. But the mill girls fit their education into their work schedule, going to church on sundays and taking evening classes at local high schools.

Around my age, which is 13, some mill girls got the desired job of drawing-in-girl. Drawing-in-girls, would make the beams ready in a loom for the weaver, and though this required some skill and nimble hands, this job was not demanding. They were paid by piece, not by the hour, meaning that the drawing-in girls could work at any pace they wanted. If a girl might want to read, than she could read any time she wanted, as long as she got the job done as a drawing-in-girl. The clothes that teens wore at the Mills were somewhat different to what I would wear today. While I will wear jeans and a t-shirt, Mill Girls wore dresses, stockings, shawls, coats, boots, and aprons. Activities at the boarding houses where the mill girls lived were similar to what I might do in my own free time. I’m an avid reader and love playing the piano, and the Mill girls in their own free time, would play the piano, read, or recite poetry from local newspapers or magazines. Mill girls were hard-working, and without their skills on the weave, we wouldn’t even have the tech today to make good quality clothes.

Image Sources: https://cullenshistorycorner.wikispaces.com/file/view/boardinghouses.jpg/127456513/639x479/boardinghouses.jpg

http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/11/11.001j/f01/lectureimages/4/image24.html

http://s222.photobucket.com/user/TheAutark/media/LowellMillGirl.jpg.html

http://www.teenagefilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/FactoryGirlsFeatured.jpg

Video Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkJwOYagvuI

Sources for text:

http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/11/11.001j/f01/lectureimages/4/image24.html

http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sort=RELEVANCE&docType=Biography&tabID=T002&prodId=MSIC&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchType=BasicSearchForm&contentSegment=&currentPosition=1&searchResultsType=MultiTab&inPS=true&userGroupName=catlin&docId=GALE%7CEJ2108101948&contentSet=GALE%7CEJ2108101948

http://milltimes.weebly.com/boardinghouse-living.html