LIFE
M a rc h e d i t i o n
Seniors recognized for classroom accomplishments
Senior Griffin Lorenz is recognized for his appointment
to the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Dr. Jeff Gustason congratulates Senior Hannah Lancaster during Senior Recognition night
held in May. Seniors were recognized for outstanding achievements while in high school and
scholartships were awarded.
By Riley Callahan
For the first time in Linn-Mar
history, an all-male a cappella group
has been formed by first year choir
director Trent Buglewicz. This is an
entirely new genre that has never
before been introduced at Linn Mar
High School.
“In an a cappella group there is
no instrumental behind the music, it
is all from the voice, making it very
unique in the category of music,”
said junior member, Ryan Frank.
There are currently 15 members
in the group, all chosen by Mr.
Buglewicz without direct auditions,
although, there will be auditions
held in future years. There was
some disappointment among those
involved in other music programs
regarding not having had the
opportunity to try out for the group,
but the director felt auditions this
year were impossible due to lack of
time.
“I chose this year’s members
based on the fact that I wanted a mix
of seniors, juniors, and sophomores
so that the group could have a
strong base of seniors to lead the
group, as well as some juniors and
sophomores to continue the group
in following years,” said choir
director Trent Buglewicz.
The group has decided to
call themselves Colton Center
Collective and plans to perform at
Fab Five, as well as at the Variety
Show or the end of the year show
choir performance.
“It’s great being with a group of
just guys within a safe environment
where we don’t have to worry
about being wrong. We can trust
each other and just have fun. Also,
Mr. Buglewicz is the best director
ever,” says Senior member Riley
Anderson.
The group is a popular music
ensemble focusing on doing newer
upbeat music for their performances.
They are currently working on an
arrangement of Higher by Taio
Cruz. The type of music they sing is
a defining factor for Colton Center
Collective making them unique in
comparison to other ensembles at
the high school.
“A lot of times in choir we are
told not to sing the current music of
today or in that style. So, this gives
us an opportunity to really show
what our generation is about and
New Music at Linn Mar- Colton Center Collective
how we are stylizing our own music
today. We try to sing more modern
songs with a new twist or style on
them,” Anderson said.
Their practices generally last
around an hour and they mainly
develop the style of the music. Being
talented musicians, the members
get the song’s notes without much
trouble so it’s the stylistic aspect
that they try to maintain focus on
during rehearsals. Members of
Colton Center Collective think
that the different chord structures
they are able to make without
instrumental assistance are amazing
and love the arrangement they are
currently practicing.
“The best part of being in
Colton Center Collective is the
amount of talent in the group and
our dedication to sounding great,
which is shown at every practice,
along with how much fun everyone
has together,” said Senior member
Mitchell Bluml.
Mr. Buglewicz has extensive
past experience in the world of a
cappella being involved in groups
during his college years at the
University of Nebraska; first being
a member and then directing them
his junior and senior years. This
gave him plenty of experience at
the college level before venturing
into the high school level. Although
the group will not be competing
this year, he plans to have the
group attend some of the national
level competitions next year. This
year they are performing with only
singing rather than choreography,
which they would need for large
competitions.
“It’s very competitive, involving
choreography and along with
singing, as well, and it’s all very
cool,” said Buglewicz.
There are no current plans for
a female group, however, if there
were a large number of girls who
wanted to create a group in future
years, it may become a possibility.
Currently, Buglewicz is focusing
only on Colton Center Collective
in order to make them the best
they can be. For any students who
would like to become involved in
Colton Center Collective; show
choir tryouts will count as auditions
towards the group if the student
expresses interest, or they may
directly contact Mr. Buglewicz to
arrange a personalized audition.
The Linn-Mar Life
Does birth order help determine your personality?
By Amanda Spars
Experts say that where a person
falls in their sibling order determines
that person’s personality, but is this
really true? There are stereotypes
about birth order categories such as
the oldest born and only children are
overachievers or the middle child is
often ignored. In a poll taken at LinnMar High School students, 33 percent
of students are the oldest, 22 percent
were “stuck” in the middle, 23 percent are the youngest in their family
and 22 percent were an only child.
It has been said that the youngest sibling in most families often gets
away with everything. Senior Amber
Markley, who is the youngest of her
family, confirms this by saying, “Oh,
definitely. I used to get away with
stuff all the time when I was little.
Still do.”
2012 Linn-Mar High School Graduate Kayla Spars, who happens to be
my older (and only) sibling, partially agrees, saying, “You used to (get
away with things) when you were
younger, but not anymore.”
According to The Birth Order Book
by Dr. Kevin Leman, the youngest
sibling tends to be like this because
some are born with the quality of being manipulative and clever, therefore, being able to weasel their way
out of almost anything.
Many sources claim that the middle child is typically the child that
gets ignored the most by family, but
also have the most friends outside the
family. It is also said that the middle
child is often the sibling that tries to
resolve conflicts and keep the peace
between their other siblings. The
“seemingly forgotten” child stereotype, however, is not always true.
Junior Aly Winfield said, “In my
family, it’s my older sibling that gets
ignored. I don’t get away with anything!”
What about the oldest child in the
family? According to Dr. Leman’s
book, the oldest child is often the
most scholarly and a leader. Leman
says this is because parents often
times expect the most out of the old-
est and they want them to set a good
example for their younger siblings.
Those who are only children and
who do not have to share their parents
with a sibling also have some particular traits. The Birth Order Book
says that like firstborns, only children
tend to be more scholarly and on task
with school work. What is interesting
though, is that opinions on what it’s
like to be an only child are different.
According to Senior Devann Hildebrand, who is an only child, “I love
it because I get more presents during
the holidays and I don’t have to share
a room, but sometimes I wish I had a
younger sibling so that way I can be a
role model, and so I could have some
company around.”
Junior Destiny Gee, also an only
child, said, “I think it’s a different
situation for everyone, because I believe it really depends on that person’s home life.”
It is clear that some of the stereotypes are true, whereas some of the
others are wrong. Can the youngest
child be spoiled and manipulative?
Yes. Is the middle child the most ignored? Not always. Is being the oldest/only child a positive? It depends.
Dropping out of high school can lead to lifelong consequences
By Zach Hendricks
Every 26 seconds, a teenager drops
out of high school in America according to the U.S. Department of Education. The good news is that over
the years, the number of high school
dropouts nationwide has drastically
reduced, dropping from 12 percent in
2000 to just above 7 percent in 2013.
Though Iowa has one of the lowest
dropout rates in America, it is still an
issue schools are facing every year.
“The majority of kids who drop out
at Linn-Mar have financial problems
at home. These kids are put in a tough
spot and miss out on many opportunities,” said Jessica Johnston, a math
teacher at Linn Mar High School.
This brings up the most common
issue among the high school dropouts, financial problems at home.
Many times, kids are dropping out
because their parents didn’t graduate high school and thus, don’t have
good jobs with stable incomes. Their
kids then must often work instead of
going to school because they need to
help support their family. Students
who live in a poverty-stricken family
are five times more likely to drop out
compared to high income families
according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Many of these families are of African American or Hispanic descent.
A study conducted by America’s
Promise Alliance, shows 43 percent
of dropouts are African American,
followed by 42 percent of Hispanics. These numbers also represent the
lower end of the wealth in America.
African Americans and Hispanics on
average make three times less than
Caucasians throughout their life according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
It is not just lack of finances that
can cause kids to struggle in school.
Kids who find school very difficult
dropout at a much higher rate than
children who excel in school. Children who are in the lowest 25 percent of academic achievement are 20
times more likely to dropout according to the website National Public
Graduation Rate.
In the working world, people who
drop out are often looked down upon
by many in society. Two Linn-Mar
students, Philip Adams and Zach
Franz, both agreed.
“Dropping out of high school is a
bad idea. Jobs are limited and you are
getting a free education.”
Over their lifetime, a high school
dropout will make $200,000 less than
a high school graduate and close to
one million dollars less than a college
graduate. Many who drop out of high
school rely on government support
though welfare. If even half of the 1.8
million students who drop out each
year would have graduated, taxpayers
would see close to a $127,000 in net
benefit savings. These statistics were
released last year from the America’s
Promise Alliance Survey. That would
help the public save almost 90 billion
dollars every year. The government
has created many ways to try and
give children more options in school
like the “No Child Left Behind” policy, or the “Race to the Top” legislation which adding 4.35 billion dollars
to the schools to help children excel
and stay in school. Still, 1.8 million
students drop out every year.
How to solve the high school
dropout problem seems to point to
parents. Studies have shown that kids
who have a head start and who are educated at an earlier age have a much
higher percentage of graduating.
“Having programs that the school
could provide during a person’s early
life could help reduce dropouts,” said
Senior Philip Adams.
One of the biggest milestones for a
child’s education is being able to read
by the third grade. Reading out loud
not only helps with their understanding between speech and print, it also
helps give a student confidence to
speak up. Parents have to help these
kids as much as they can. Children
who start behind tend to stay behind
and never catch up, leading to millions of children feeling unable to
perform at the required level during
the first couple years of school.
The U.S. Department of Education
advises parents to start a child’s learning between the ages of 6 months to a
year. Parents are urged to read aloud
to their children as often as possible
to promote brain development. The
U.S. Department of Education says
the earlier a child starts on a learning path, the less likely he or she will
drop out of school.
The Linn-Mar Life
Can you become addicted to your cell phone?
By Bekah Bent
Bzzz, bzzzz, bzzz. No,
that isn’t a bumble bee or some
other creepy little bug, but
rather a cell phone. According
to accuconference.com, over 90
percent of adult Americans have
one and when you include teens
and young children, that’s a lot of
people. Naturally, we have become
accustomed to hearing phones going
off every few seconds, and in fact,
you have probably become so used
to the noise that it no longer even
registers. But just how addicted are
people to their smartphones?
According to pewinternet.
org, over 67 percent of people who
have phones check it even when
they don’t hear a chime. Over 60
percent sleep with their phones next
to them for fear of missing a text or
a call, or maybe even a tweet.
“I always carry my phone
with me. I feel naked without it, like
I am missing my arm or something,”
says Senior Jess Smart. Technology
has become an obsession in today’s
modern American culture. Even if
you don’t have the latest iPhone
or Samsung, most people will say
that they have some kind of phone.
Now sure, there are several benefits
to having a cell phone, such as
being able to reach loved ones or
friends quicker, being able to check
important emails from work and
being kept up to date on the latest
Art can give people a voice
By Hannah Jannusch
People murmur and gasp all
around you as they see the splatters
of paint upon the wall. Some mutter,
“genius” while you stand there
utterly confused. What is the major
hype about the paintings? Isn’t it
just some lucky talent on canvas?
Or does it delve into a deeper and
more emotional meaning?
Art. It is a common practice and
hobby for many people. Art is all
around us. The three most iconic
images in the world are Leonardo’s’
Mona Lisa, Van Goghs’ Starry
Night and Grant Woods’ American
Gothic; all quintessential pieces
of art. Some people who look at a
painting or sculpture never consider
the blood, sweat and tears that went
into the piece. They don’t consider
the amount of time devoted to a
piece or the emotional changes that
occurred within the artist. Though
artists may use science, intellect
and their natural talent, many artists
draw from their own emotions and
experiences. A perfect example of
this would be Frida Kahlo, an artist
who had a trivial life and survived
through depression, abuse and
miscarriages.
“I don’t paint dreams or
nightmares, I paint my own reality,”
Kahlo wrote within her diary. She
stated that through art, she was able
to find her own voice.
Using art as an outlet to express
an individual’s thoughts and ideas is
referred to as art therapy. Art therapy
is used by individuals as a way to
cope with traumatic experiences.
In art therapy, it is normal for a
subject to experience phases within
their journey. Senior Elijah Willow
said, “I’ve found myself over the
years going through many phases.
For example, my sophomore year
I would only paint portraits from
the shoulders up… I feel that art
can help express emotions that I
might not want to express verbally.
Through color, I can express what
I am feeling. Red is anger, blue is
sadness…”
“Drawing definitely was an outlet
for me, especially last year,” said
Senior Bekah Bent. “Being able to
draw characters which represented
myself was therapeutic in a way. It
[art] for me really took off during
my junior year because of all of
the personal things I was going
through. It definitely helps me
through troubling times, same with
my writing. It is a way to tell people
without telling people, as well as to
vocalize what I am going through
without coming out and saying it.
It can be a way for me to escape to
a different world or plane, to draw
or write something that wouldn’t
happen in our society as a way to
forget everything and escape for a
little while,” says Bent.
Many artists use art as an outlet
to express themselves and their
thoughts; Jackson Pollock, Wassily
Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso, just
to name a few. Art therapy has
helped many individuals cope, it is a
way to help organize their thoughts
and feelings through color. Colors
are the first thing we see every
morning when we wake up. We see
them everywhere and each color is
connected to a specific emotion.
Linn-Mar art teacher Gloria
Zmolek stated, “... A picture is worth
a 1,000 words, art is just another
language. A universal language in
which we all can learn.”
German-born artist Johanna
Hansen said in a 2012 interview,
“I feel right at home when the
handle of a brush slips into my
hands. I let myself become lost
within my own painting, letting the
colors speak words that I cannot.
As Pablo Picasso once said, ‘Art
washes away from the soul the dust
from everyday life,’ and it surely it
has within my life. When we see
color we see feeling, and when we
acknowledge feeling, we know we
aren’t alone.”
social media. Multitasking has even
become better because of them. But
are there any downsides to having
a phone constantly attached to your
hip?
One of the biggest and most
known drawbacks is the physical
toll it can take on the body. Not
only can a user develop arthritis
or general pain in their hands, but
even a person’s back can suffer the
repercussions of constantly having
a phone in their hand, according to
healthcentral.com.
“Yea my back hurts
sometimes, and my hands usually
kill me at the end of the day, but I
think most people deal with that,”
said Senior Nancy Devi. The
awkward angle the body is put in
during texting or prolonged phone
usage causes strain on the neck as
well as the upper back, creating a
tension and pain that wasn’t there
before. The most common pain is in
the hands naturally, from being bent
at that angle for so long. But body
pain isn’t the only negative effect
of cell phones. Having to look at a
small bright screen constantly with
words scrunched together can be a
real problem for one’s eyes. More
and more people are reporting
vision problems today as a result of
cellphone usage says medicaldaily.
com. It is so common nowadays,
that it has its own name: Computer
Vision Syndrome. Isn’t that sad?
This syndrome happens after long
exposure to computer screens or
other electronic screens that wear on
the eyes causing things like dryness,
redness, a burning sensation, as
well as blurred vision reports aoa.
org. It is a real ailment and it shows
up frequently in teenagers as well as
adults. Even children are becoming
more susceptible to it as more and
more of them discover the online
gaming world.
“After I got my new iPhone
I had to get eye drops because my
eyes would hurt so much after
looking at it,” says Smart. The
weird part about all of this though,
is that according to thevisoncouncil.
org, over 70 percent of adults don’t
believe that cellphones are the cause
of their eye strain.
Cell Phones have several
physical drawbacks that can wear
on a person over time. But what
about the mental drawbacks?
Because so many people look at
their phone constantly, or keep it by
their beds, they can suffer serious
stress-related problems. Constantly
worrying about missing a text or
a call can lead to sleepless nights
and terrible days says medicaldaily.
com. According to the site, women
show these signs more than men as
they text almost twice as much, if
not more. So that text message that
you are waiting for that has been
keeping you up the past few nights is
actually causing you real life stress.
Stress can lead to all sorts of things
including bouts of depression, sleep
deprivation, irritability, and more.
“I am on my phone until
early in the morning most nights.
And I mean like three, four in the
morning sometimes. It is really
hard to go to bed at a normal time
anymore,” says Senior Ashley
Henn.
Not to mention the fact that
cellphones
are
horrible
on
relationships. How often do you
find yourself talking with someone
and they suddenly pull out a phone
and start scrolling on it. How do you
feel? Usually you feel rejected and
annoyed, right? Researchers from
University of Essex did a study
where they put several people into a
room and had one keep his phone out
an on a table. They found that even
having a cell phone nearby and not
necessarily using it, caused more
trust issues as well as fewer feelings
of closeness than if the phone was
not in sight. There are so many
things on a phone nowadays to keep
you occupied such as numerous
social media sites, emails, text
messages, games, and other random
apps that it is no surprise that cell
phones have become the easiest
and encompassing distraction of
the 21st century. According to
liveboldandbloom.com, two of the
most common problems that can
quickly cause the downfall of a
perfectly good relationship have
direct links to cell phone usage.
Those two problems would be
loss of communication, and lack
of mindfulness. How many times
did you forget to do something
for your loved one, or forget a
special day because you were so
engrossed in your game of Angry
Birds? How often do you go out to
dinner with your significant other
and then spend the whole night in
silence as you both scroll through
your phones, you dinner cold on
your plates? It happens more than
Americans like to admit.
Now that doesn’t mean cell
phones are bad in general, as there
are several upsides to the electronic
world. But, as with everything,
moderation is key. Maybe make
a habit to only take your phone
certain places, or to turn in off
when you are somewhere where
you don’t really need it on. Or,
when you go out on date night, just
leave it at home. There are lots of
things that can be done about both
the physical and emotional stress
that can accompany cellphones.
You just have to know when to use
them, and when to put them away.
The Linn-Mar Life
Students not happy with changes in the Healthy Kid’s Act
By Hannah Jannusch
In 2008, the Iowa Healthy
Kids Act was signed by Governor
Chet Culver, establishing the nutritional content and standards for food
and beverage sold during the school
day. Improving nutrition is the main
focal point of the nationwide Healthy
Kids Act that was led by First Lady
Michelle Obama. The First Lady
wanted to end world hunger and diminish obesity within the United
States. Schools that accept government funding are required to abide by
this act and the USDA food standards.
Recently, the USDA has released a
side act that is akin with The Healthy
Kids Act. It is called Smart Snacks
and was implemented July 1st of last
year. The Smart Snacks Act states
that all food sold on campus that isn’t
considered lunch items off the menu,
(vending machines etc.) is required to
abide by the same regulations as The
Healthy Kids Act.
Some students in schools in
Wisconsin have protested against this
act by boycotting. Students have disregarded the school policy by bringing in their own homemade lunches.
According to WSAU (Wisconsin ra-
dio), approximately 85 percent of the
school population boycotted against
this act. In another district, students
boycotted for a whole three weeks,
not only bringing in their food, but
also taking measures to spread the
word via twitter under the hashtag
#ThanksMichelle.
In the Linn-Mar District, this
act went into effect in 2010, limiting
the amount of fats, sugars and sodium within the meal. At Linn-Mar,
white bread and malts were taken
out of the lunch offerings and whole
wheat bread and skim milk were substituted instead. Linn-Mar students
are required to choose between fruits
and vegetables as a side. If they fail
to do so, the price of their lunch goes
up. Many students dislike this act because they feel that the taste of the
food is poor. The act also prohibited
students from bringing in treats on
their birthday. If a student chooses to
bring something for an occasion, the
recommendation is to bring pencils
or erasers etc. for their peers.
“It’s unfair,” said Lorenzo Plata, junior. He continued, “The food here
is unsatisfactory. If I would make a
change I would suggest more food
options.”
Junior Jane Lyster said, “We
should be able to choose between
whole grain or white bread.”
“We shouldn’t be forced to
eat this cardboard,” said Cole Shawna, sophomore.
Many people believe that this
act is too expensive and it does not
fulfill its objective, to help dwindle
the obesity rates in America.
“This program is faulty because it isn’t acted upon outside of
school,” said Alex Wadelle, sophomore. “When students are outside of
school, they are eating a breakfast and
a dinner that may or may not fulfill
the Healthy Kids Act requirements.
If this program only monitors a student’s diet half of the day, it should
be discontinued. I frankly don’t have
to worry about this stupid program
because I bring my lunch to school.”
Will other Linn-Mar students
follow Wadelle’s example and simply
boycott school lunches?
Changing your daily routine can do wonders for your health
By Jacob Wolf
It’s 4:58 and Robert is looking
at the clock. Every day at this time
his natural routine comes to a brief
pause. He’s been at work since
nine this morning and according to
him, “the dimly-lit rooms and low
ceilings are killing me.” Not that he
hates his job, but the circumstances
of his job are equal to that of
the death penalty with the only
exception being the numbers he
receives on a monthly basis in order
to buy food to survive another day
of work and so on. Robert, along
with 43 million others in America,
are subject to this situation
according to Statista, a private firm
specializing in statistical research.
And another 77 million are subject
to even longer days spent scooping
your food or flipping your burgers
or delivering your Christmas Cards.
And quite frankly, it’s killing them.
Odds are, you, or at least
someone you know, can attest to
the complaints of the daily routine
spent in dimly-lit rooms with
low ceilings. Computer screens
are glaring and there is a curious
absence of anything natural or
remotely green. The stress in
these situations is easy to find and
hard to ignore. With few options
as remedies, office workers and
others like them often experience
stress, which according to Ohio
State University and the Federal
National Institute of Aging, literally
damages your DNA and reduces
your lifespan. Along with a reduced
life span, office workers also tend
to succumb to depression. The good
news is, regardless of your working
hours or schedule, a person can
change his or her mental wellbeing in
these situations. The first thing you’ll
have to do is kill someone. And by
someone, I’m referring to your old
self. That old groggy, displeased and
bored you needs to be replaced with
some surprising changes to your life.
Psychology calls this the hedonic
treadmill. You call it boredom. Once
you experience something, your
brain forms a physical connection or
memory of that sensation. The next
time that sensation happens, your
brain is less active because it already
has some recollection of the event.
This leads to the very definition of
depression in that decreased activity
of the brain can lead to boredom in
life.
The ability of the brain to change
is called neuroplasticity. Research
has shown that small daily changes to
one’s schedule can and will increase
brain activity. Changing the direction
when you brush your teeth, changing
the route you take to work, changing
the order in which you put on clothes
can all attribute to increased brain
activity as new connections must
be formed when you deviate from
your daily routine. Furthermore,
simple changes in your immediate
surroundings can vastly alter your
mood and your productivity. And the
best part is you don’t have to make
three easy payments of $19.99 when
doing so.
Take for example, the
average office space or school
classroom. Chances are, that space
is lit by artificial lighting and has
few if any plants or green vegetation
for that matter. One way you can
increase your happiness or at least
make the office space a little nicer is
by filling empty and unused nooks
and crannies with plants. One of
the most recommended plants is the
Spider Plant, which according to the
University of Hawaii’s Cooperative
Extension Service leads to better
air quality. The plant also reduces
particulate matter (dust in the air)
and raises humidity which reportedly
reduces allergy-like symptoms and
reduces stress in workers. And don’t
worry about having to become the
office gardener, either. The Spider
Plant is resistant to quite a bit of over
watering and will last days without
water. Not only that, but if you happen
to not water the plant for some time, a
new healthy dose of water will bring
it back to its former glory. No other
maintenance is needed. Along with
the Spider Plant, the Lemon Balm
plant shares similar characteristics in
that little maintenance is needed and
it won’t be drastically affected by
little to no real sunlight.
Another deviation in your schedule
may be more outside time. Even
fifteen minutes of time spent outside
can produce a noticeable outcome in
the changing of moods and produce
other benefits in individuals. A
study published in the Psychological
Science Journal found that being
outside on a daily basis can reduce
the amount of overstimulation many
workers experience. This time spent
outside can also increase immunity
to illnesses. The study conducted
by Tokyo’s Nippon Medical School
found that individuals who spend
time outdoors have white bloods
cells that became more active
(effective) in combating illnesses
such as the common cold. This, in
turn, could lead to fewer sick days,
thus increasing focus and happiness
amongst workers.
All in all, the benefits of changing
up your schedule are not only noted,
but highly recommended for the
sake of your mental health. Small
deviations in your daily routine
will lead to increases in happiness,
productivity and in some cases,
extra immunity against illnesses.
All you have to do is be willing
to do something new, even if that
means buttering the other side of
your toast.
The Linn-Mar Life
Most Outrageous Things Pet Owners Do For Their Pets
By Devann Hildenbrand
We consider our pets our best
friends. We talk to them as if they
are humans, we let them sleep with
us in bed, and we take them places
with us. Despite this, most pet
owners have boundaries. The typical
pet owner usually does not invest
thousands of dollars towards their
pets, unless it involves a sport, a pet
show, or a vet bill. However, there
are other pet owners who go above
and beyond to pamper their pets in
the most unique, time consuming,
and expensive ways. According to an
American Pet Products Association
Ownership survey, Americans will
spend an estimated $50 billion on
their pets annually. These are just
some examples of outrageous ways
pets have become their owner’s
number one priority.
Luxury Pet Spas: Pet owners who
really want their pets to be pampered
will send their beloved pets to luxury
pet spas. Here, pets will experience
the luxury of professional grooming,
premium meals, group play, dress up,
nail trimmings, and even massages.
Pet massages are shown to help
with arthritis, hip or joint problems,
a decrease in anxiety, an increase
in circulation, and even help with
behavior problems. According to
professional massage therapist at Pet
Spa, Kim Novotny, owners are more
motivated by a desire for comfort for
their animal.
“Some just bring their pets in
to be pampered; others will bring
their older dogs with arthritis in to
help them move around better,” said
Novotny.
New York Pet Spa claims they have
been requested by owners to dye their
pet’s fur funky colors and even to
give their dog or cat a “pawdicure” to
match their own nails. Some people
think this goes too far, but these pet
lovers disagree.
Pet Weddings: I know what you’re
thinking. Who would perform a
marriage ceremony for their pets?
Owners who claim their pets are
in “love” invest large amounts of
money into weddings just for their
pets. For approximately $30,000,
you can watch your love-struck pups
exchange vows. Owner and CEO of
Hollywood Pet Parties says that a
simple wedding can cost $300, but
when owners want those weddings
to be embellished, and more and
more money is tossed in, it can easily
cost up to $30,000. These owners go
all out when it comes to their pet’s
weddings, buying mini tuxedos,
wedding dresses, expensive jewelry,
picking top-notch venues, serving
gourmet pet food, inviting large
numbers of guests, and even hiring
orchestras to play music. According
to ABC News, the most expensive
pet wedding took place in New York
in 2012, where Baby Hope Diamond,
a fluffy white Coton de Tulear,
married a poodle named Chilly
Pasternak as a charity fundraiser.
This wedding was complete with
limos, a $6,000 designer dress, a
sushi chef, a mixologist who made
“puptails”, florists, an orchestra,
and even Ellen Degeneres’ pet food
company, who furnished a dog food
buffet. This wedding ended up raising
$158,187.26 for the Humane Society
of New York, and earned a spot in the
Guinness Book of Work Records for
the most expensive pet wedding.
Yoga Classes: Pet enthusiasts
have created “doga” classes, which
is a yoga class exclusively for dogs.
In these classes, the strategy is to
help dogs lessen stress, do physical
therapy, and work their muscles.
This class is especially for dogs with
problems such as arthritis, or other
joint problems that need physical
therapy. However, these classes
are for much more than just doggie
physical therapy. Through acts of
meditation, stretching, and gentle
massaging, dog owners claim to
have a better connection between
themselves and their dogs. Doga
teacher Madhavi Bhatia explains,
“Like
yoga,
doga
balances,
harmonizes, purifies and transcends
the body and mind of the animal. What
makes doga unique is the practice
and benefits that create a harmony
and synchronization of energy flow
between owner and dog.”
Stroller rides: Have you ever seen
people giving their pets a ride in
a baby stroller? For some people
this is just crazy, but for these pet
owners, it does not seem to be out
of the ordinary. This has become
a huge trend amongst devoted pet
owners, especially in
large cities such as New
York, where pet owners
do not want to risk their
dog getting stepped on.
Other owners say they
use strollers for their pets
because it provides shade
from the hot sun. Strollers
also are an opportunity for
cat owners to take their
cat for a walk without
the hassle of a cat leash.
Some people think this is
crazy. One person states,
“Babies can’t walk. You
can put a baby in a stroller, because
there’s really no other option. Dogs
can walk. Therefore, you cannot put a
dog in a stroller. You also cannot put
a baby on a leash.” One pet owner
disagrees, replying, “I simply do not
see anything wrong with this. I love
Pet Vacations: You may have dropped
your dog off at a kennel while you are
away for a couple weeks, but what
about sending your dog to a resort
on the beach? These all-inclusive pet
resorts give your dog the full vacation
experience, filled with cabanas on
the beach, peanut butter ice cream,
gourmet meals, and even doggy
pools to cool off in. Smooth jazz and
classical music plays throughout the
resort while your pet lounges. Some
resorts even offer transportation that
will personally pick up your dog.
Owners can watch their pet at all
times wherever they are with private
webcams, putting the worried owner
at ease. The average price for these
resorts can be quite costly. Pooch
Hotel owner, Robin Tomb explains,
“We had a couple leave their three
dogs for 17 days at $300 per night in
the palace suite. In the end, including
the extra amenities like baths, the bill
was upwards of $4,000. And they
said it was worth for the peace of
mind.” Now that’s a spoiled pet!
to take my dog for stroller rides in
the park on occasions. If someone
wants to pamper their pet, let them
pamper their pet. Screw the haters.”
Depending on how you look at it,
these pet owners are quick to defend
their reasoning.
Custom-furnished cat house: Cats
are very mischievous pets, they love
to climb and crawl all over the house.
But have you ever thought of making
your house specially designed just
for your cats? A Californian man
renovated his house to be a playhouse
for his 18 cats, complete with tunnels,
trees, beds, ledges, cat walks, and
scratching posts. This renovation
ended up costing $35,000. According
to the man, the money was worth it
since his cats clearly approve of the
newly designed house.
Of course people love their pets.
But only a select group of owners
will go spend thousands of dollars
on spas, vacations, or other means
of pampering for their pets. These
owners have gone to the furthest
extremes to ensure that their pets have
a luxurious day at the spa, gourmet
food fit for a queen, a hopping social
life, and special pampering.
The Linn-Mar Life
Do “smart drugs” really sharpen senses, increase memory?
by Blaine Botsford
Vyvanse, Adderall, Nootropics,
and Neuroflexyn. What do all of
these have in common? These are
just a few of the drugs that make
up the “smart-drug” family tree.
“Smart-drugs” claim to sharpen a
person’s senses, increase memory,
and boost energy and millions of
people are currently taking them.
In a poll of 30 randomly selected
Linn-Mar High School students,
one third of those questioned
admitted to using one of these drugs
at least once. Because these “drugs”
are often sold as supplements, they
can bypass the usual stringent
requirements of the FDA. So the
big question is: do they work?
Out of the ten Linn-Mar teens
who admitted to having used them,
nine of them said that they feel the
drugs increased their senses in some
way. Most of these pills do this with
the use of lactic acids, which feed
the powerhouse cells of the body
increasing metabolism and making
the cells exert more energy for the
body to use. The energy in your
body may increase but does any
“sharpening” of the brain actually
occur?
Much of the research that has
been done on such “smart-drugs”
has come from the companies that
manufacture these substances, so
the credibility of said research
comes into question. And although
these substances are often hyped in
the media as being “as common as
coffee,” their widespread use is often
over-exaggerated, according to the
U.S. Library of National Medicine.
Technically, these drugs claim to
increase “neuroenhancement” or
cognitive function in the brains of
normal individuals.
Out of the ten teens that admitted
to using the smart drugs, only 2 out
of 10 were actually prescribed one
of the drugs by a doctor. Many admit
to buying the online legal version or
buying prescriptions off the streets.
Those who admitted to buying the
pills off of the street confirmed that
they were buying them for about
two dollars a pill.
The online legal version of the
pills (Nueroflexyn and Nootropics)
are around forty-five dollars for a
bottle full of 90 pills. These smart
drugs are known as supplements
but many users feel they are really
just a slightly weaker version of the
prescription versions of the pills.
There is much controversy whether
or not these supplements actually
work and their potential for danger
if they are used incorrectly.
Playing music can give your brain a workout
By Celine Metrot
“Did you know that every time
musicians pick up their instruments,
there are fireworks going off all over
their brain?” It’s true, according
to a TED Ed speaker in one of his
videos.
Linn-Mar High School counts
over 1,800 students enrolled in at
least one musical activity, with six
full-time faculty dedicated towards
music excellence. Linn-Mar gives
the option between multiple concert
bands, jazz bands and orchestras.
This gives musicians plenty of
opportunities to start training their
brain and improving many skills
they use every day at different
occasions.
Playing an instrument is exactly
like a full-brain workout. According
to a study by TED Ed, it has been
shown that learning how to play
an instrument has an amazing
connection with memory. Trained
musicians can create, encode and
retrieve memories more rapidly
and accurately than people who
have never learned how to play an
instrument.
“There’s a lot of evidence that
if you play a musical instrument,
especially if you start early in
life, that you have better reading
skills and better math skills,” says
neuropsychologist Nadine Gaab.
It has also been shown that people
who have studied an instrument
during their childhood have less
difficulties learning new languages.
Emma Shaerr, junior, has been
playing saxophone since elementary
school. She explains that she has
always found her French class to be
easy. Learning different languages
has never seemed difficult to Emma
and she says that even her English
classes have come easily to her.
Unlike a physical activity, when
you train your brain, you do not
lose your training gains as easily.
Neuroscientists have discovered
vibrant activity in the visual cortex,
as well as in the auditory and motor
cortices of the brain. Practicing
any musical instrument causes
permanent changes in these specific
neurological structures. This allows
people to perform tasks other than
musical tasks more quickly and
efficiently for their entire lifetime.
“There’s now a growing
body of work that suggests that
actually learning to play a musical
instrument does have impacts on
other abilities,” says Ani Patel, an
associate professor of psychology
at Tufts University and the author of
“Music, Language, and the Brain.”
These other abilities can include
speech perception, understanding
emotions in the voice and handling
multiple tasks together at one time.
Some benefits to the musicians’
brain activity include the ability to
strategize, to retain information,
to regulate behavior, to solve
problems and to adjust plans to
changing mental demands. In an
article from Mic.com’s music
section, one of their staff writers,
Tom Barnes, a graduate from NYU,
wrote that musical training can
also be a therapeutic tool. Studies
have found a stronger activity in
the supplementary motor area and
prefrontal cortex of the musicians’
brain connected to music learning.
These two areas are known for
being deficient in people suffering
from executive function disorders
such are ADHD.
Lizzi Li, junior, says she
understands how playing an
instrument is a workout for her
brain, especially being in Orchestra.
Lizzi plays viola, and explains how
important it is to stay focused and
to be aware of everything going on
during Orchestra rehearsals. She
needs to pay attention to her sheet of
music, as well as to the director and
everyone else around her playing
different parts.
According to Barnes, while
practicing music, you engage both
halves of your brain equally. By
stimulating the left hemisphere,
which is the more mathematical,
calculating and syntactic part
of the brain, as well as the right
hemisphere, which is the more
creative part of the brain, musicians
build a strong neural bridge
between the two hemispheres called
the corpus callosum. This means
the two halves of the brain can
communicate with each other more
quickly and more easily. Therefore,
musicians are more likely to find
more logical and inventive solutions
to problems given to them. To best
activate this process, starting to
learn an instrument around the age
of seven is the best option.
There are no other art forms or
activities found that have been
found to produce at least as much
lasting neurological benefits as
music.
The Linn-Mar Life
Life is too short to watch bad movies!
By Evan Brown
Every year there are a few great
movies produced, ones that shatter
box office records and are hailed as
classics. But what happens to the
other hundreds of movies released
that year? Most of these films are lost
in a sea of mediocrity and forgotten,
but a few stand out as some of the
worst movies of all time. While many
of these movies were produced in
what was still a relatively youthful
industry during the mid-1900s, a few
nuggets of incompetence still surface
in modern filmmaking. It is worth
noting that while these movies are
certainly bad, that doesn’t necessarily
mean they are unwatchable - some
of their failures are genuinely
entertaining, in a rubbernecking sort
of way.
Despite modern special effects and
well-known actors, some movies still
manage to be terrible. An example of
this is Battlefield Earth, from 2000.
The movie stars John Travolta as an
alien warlord who has enslaved the
human race in the year 3000, and
centers around the humans uprising
and killing the aliens. Critic Roger
Ebert said of Battlefield Earth: “This
movie is awful in so many different
ways… Their costumes look like they
were purchased from the Goodwill
store on the planet Tatooine… [the
movie] is like taking a bus trip with
someone who has needed a bath for
a long time.”
An even more extreme example is
Gigli, from 2003. With a $54 million
budget and actors including Jennifer
Lopez, Ben Affleck, Christopher
Walken, and Al Pacino, the movie
is about two gangsters who kidnap
a federal prosecutor’s mentally
handicapped brother while dealing
with the personal relationship
between them. The film was heavily
criticized for its poor character
development and awful dialogue,
with critic Mark Englehart going so
far as to say: “If I was the writerdirector of this film, I would have
shot myself and all involved way
beforehand for actually creating this
dreck. May Gigli someday rest in
peace. Amen.”
The above movies above are
certainly bad, they can’t really hold
a candle to the incompetence of a
number of awful movies made during
the 1950s/60s. Two Christmas films
from this time period have been
recognized as extremely bad: Santa
Claus Conquers the Martians, in
which Martians kidnap Santa because
they have no one who delivers
toys to their children on Christmas
(after which they are subsequently
conquered); and Santa Claus, where
Santa, who uses a giant pair of lips
and an eye on a periscope to spy on
children, teams up with Merlin - yes,
the wizard - to keep a devil named Pitch
from ruining Christmas by shooting
him in the rear with a toy cannon,
among other things. Speaking of
Christmas, 2014’s Saving Christmas
is actually ranked #1 on the Internet
Movie Database’s Bottom 100 list,
with only a 1.5/10 rating. The movie
is intended to protest the increasing
commercialization and secularization
of Christmas, but suffers from the
crippling flaw of agonizing dullness.
Critic Alonso Duralde said of the
film, “It’s not a movie so much
as it’s an extended Sunday school
sermonette.”
Two other films from the 50s/60s
are also competitors for the title of
“Worst Movie of All Time”: Plan
9 from Outer Space and Manos:
The Hands of Fate. The former is a
sci-fi movie which was considered
awful even during the era of cheesy
sci-fi movies in which it was made.
The movie revolves around aliens
resurrecting the dead to kill the rest
of humanity, who the aliens fear
will discover the nuclear bomb. The
movie is technically terrible, with
poor special effects, camera work,
script, and acting. Manos: The Hands
of Fate is even worse: critic Mike
Noyes even said, “Seriously, Manos
makes Ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer
Space look Oscar worthy.” The film
was created for about $15,000 by
insurance and fertilizer salesman
Harold P. Warren, who had made a
bet with a friend that he could make a
successful low-budget horror movie
(which he presumably lost). The plot
is indecipherable, and every shot
in the film (including 10 minutes
of solely driving scenes at the
beginning) was shot with a camera
that could only record 30 seconds at
a time. All of the movie’s audio was
dubbed in later. Noyes condemned
“every aspect of this film” as terrible
in his review.
Although these films are lamentably
bad in nearly every possible way, for
some reason they aren’t hopeless - in
some ways, they’re so bad they’re
funny. Cinema Terror Reviews
said, “Plan 9 from Outer Space is
definitely not one of the worst films
of all time, it has way too much
charm and fun [for] it to ever become
a film deserving that type of title,
although it is possible to see why
others would say that about the film.”
Quentin Tarantino is said to own a
copy of Manos and calls it his favorite
comedy of all time. Even these bad
movies are not irredeemable; while
awful, the attention and exposure
they get shows that these movies still
have some value and good in them.
“Thank you Dude Perfect for enriching my life”
By Philip Adams
I want to take a moment to thank
the guys at Dude Perfect for being
the best possible way to procrastinate
on the internet. If you don’t already
know, Dude Perfect is a group of
guys who have become famous on
youtube for their incredibly elaborate
sports trick shot videos. The videos
involve mind boggling trick shots
in sports ranging from basketball
and football to billiards and archery.
They have made quite the name for
themselves in their short six years of
existence and have made videos with
some of the top athletes in the world
including NFL all-stars Russell
Wilson and Odell Beckham Jr and
professional bowler Jason Belmonte,
among others. The group has
accrued sponsorships from Fortune
500 companies like Nerf, ESPN,
and AT&T. This team of six friends
releases some of the most amazing
videos currently available on the
internet. They display remendous
feats of athletic ability, like kicking a
football sixty yards into a basketball
hoop or making basketball shots over
a house. Personally, I would be a
much more productive student if these
videos didn’t exist, but regardless, if
you haven’t seen these videos you
need to get to your nearest internet
accessing device as soon as possible
and look them
up. Expect to
spend at least
an hour clicking
through some of
their hundreds
of videos and
prepare to be
left in awestruck
wonder.
Now
maybe
you’re
not into sports
or maybe you
prefer to spend
your time watching Justin Bieber
music videos. I respect that and I can
see why you might not be interested
in the pure awesomeness of trick
shots but I think these videos should
be seen by people of all walks of
life because if nothing else they
encourage viewers to always have
fun. The videos are inspiring and
viewers feel motivated to try their
own trick shots which is okay because
they aren’t dangerous!
When it all boils down, there
are definitely worse ways to spend
time on the internet and most of
those alternatives are not nearly as
entertaining or appropriate. So head
on over to YouTube and watch a few
Dude Perfect Videos. You will not be
disappointed.
The Linn-Mar Life
Shocking murders by kids confound the public
By Devann Hildenbrand
Any murder story is horrifying,
but the thought of a kid committing
murder is unfathomable. Sadly, the
desire of killing someone is not just
in the hands of those who are fully
mature. These gruesome murders
committed by children prove
otherwise. These three stories may
sound as if they came straight out of
a horror movie, but instead they came
from the plans and actions of actual
children.
The Murder of
Skylar Neese:
Best friends and high school
sophomores, Rachel Shoaf (left),
Skylar Neese (middle), and Shelia
Eddy (right) were inseparable.
According to classmates, these three
girls were very sociable, taking
selfies and spending practically every
day with each other. Everything was
normal, until July 6, 2012. Sixteenyear-old, Skylar Neese went missing
from her apartment in West Virginia
around midnight. As soon as she
went missing, Neese’s parents knew
something was very wrong, stating
that she was “not the type to run
away.” After a long and desperate
search, her remains were found in
Wayne Township, Pennsylvania.
Once word got around, classmates
witnessed Shelia Eddy and Rachel
Shoaf expressing strong emotion over
the loss of their best friend. The two
girls were there to comfort the Neese
family, attend Skylar’s candlelight
vigil, and send their heartfelt tweets
of farewell goodbyes. But then
things got strange when the two girls
appeared to have gotten over Skylar’s
death fairly quickly. The girls were
observed going about their daily
lives with smiles on their faces, going
on vacations, and even continuing
to take pictures together. Nobody
expected what happened next.
On May 1, 2013, the town was
in complete disbelief when Rachel
Shoaf pleaded guilty to 2nd degree
murder, telling authorities that she
and Shelia Eddy planned and carried
out Skylar’s murder. Shoaf told
authorities that she and Eddy stabbed
their best friend to death and hid her
body in the woods, all because they
did not want to be her friend anymore.
According to Shoaf, Eddy was the
mastermind behind the stabbing and
made the decision for them to kill her
six months prior. The plan was to pick
Skylar up after work, go to the woods
in Pennsylvania to smoke weed, count
to three, then stab until her last breath.
When confronted, Eddy immediately
pleaded not guilty to authorities. But
after intense interrogation, Eddy
finally confessed and pleaded guilty
to first-degree murder on January 1,
2014. Rachel Shoaf was sentenced to
30 years in prison and Shelia Eddy
was sentenced to life in prison with
no chance of parole.
This shocking confession tore
three families to pieces. Thinking
they could get away with murder,
Shoaf and Eddy were finally caught
after over a year of playing it
cool, matching stories, and acting
remorseful towards the Neese family.
During court, Shoaf begged for
forgiveness from the Neese family,
however they were quick to turn it
down, stating that she can “sit on
her apologies, because that is all
they are worth.” Eddy, on the other
hand remained silent, leaving the
Neese family outraged for her lack of
remorse. The Neese family expressed
their loss in court with emotional
and powerful words towards the
two killers. Mr. Neese spoke out in
the court hearing, saying “We are
no longer a family. You can see the
faces of the killers, but you can’t see
Skylar’s face. You can’t imagine how
Mary and I now feel.”
The Stabbing Death of Peyton Leutner:
Famously known as the “Slender
Man Stabbing,” this gruesome crime
took place in Waukesha, Wisconsin,
and shocked the nation with its
strange motive. In late May of 2012,
two twelve-year-old girls, Morgan
Geyser (left) and Annisa Weir (right)
planned to have a sleepover with
their friend Peyton Leutner (far right)
from school. This was not the first
time these three girls had hung out,
so they were no strangers. However,
on this night, the two girls had more
than a slumber party in mind. When
Peyton arrived, Morgan and Anissa
lured her into the woods to “play hide
and go seek.” Once they reached the
deep end of the woods, they viciously
stabbed her 19 times and left her to
crawl to her own rescue. Desperate
to stay alive, Peyton remarkably
crawled her way to the edge of the
woods where a bicyclist who was
passing by saved the wounded girl.
According to the bicyclist, the only
thing the girl could do was repeat the
same sentence, “Please help me. I’ve
been stabbed.”
Once Peyton was taken into urgent
care, it was revealed that one of her
stab wounds was near fatal. In fact,
if the knife would have gone just a
quarter of an inch further, she would
have died instantly. The twelve-yearold’s parents were amazed to hear
that their little girl would remarkably
survive. The girls who stabbed
Peyton and left her to die were found
walking on the side of the highway
with backpacks. Once they were
caught, police found that inside of
the backpacks were extra food, water,
pictures of their families, and the
bloody knives used to stab Peyton.
Both girls eagerly told authorities that
they stabbed Peyton and left her as a
sacrifice to please “Slender Man,”
a fictional demonic internet figure.
They then told authorities they were
on their way to meet Slender Man
and live with him at his “mansion”
in Nicolet National Forest in
northern Wisconsin. Morgan Geyser
and Annisa Weir were taken in by
authorities and further questioned.
In the interrogation tapes, which
were released by Waukesha police,
the girls told investigators that they
had planned to kill their classmate
to appease Slender Man and keep
him from harming them and their
families. They also said they wanted
to silence people who doubted their
stories about his existence. One of
the girls told detectives the plan had
started to come together as early as
December 2013.
“I was excited because I wanted
proof that he existed because there
were a bunch of skeptics out there
saying he didn’t exist,” one of the
girls told police.
The other girl offered a different
motive, saying, “I was afraid of what
would happen if I didn’t ... I didn’t
want to find out what would happen
if we didn’t.”
Once taken to court, both girls
pleaded guilty and were very
forthcoming on their version of
the story. Morgan Geyser said in
court that she felt no remorse for
what she did, because the stabbing
was “necessary.” Another shocking
confession was released in court,
this was not the first time they have
plotted to kill Peyton. Geyser told
the court that the first plan was to kill
her at a nearby park a couple months
ago. The reason they decided not to
go along with the plan at the time was
because the bathrooms at the park did
not have efficient drains for the blood
to go down.
Peyton Leutner has remarkably fully
recovered since the incident, and
is slowly gaining trust and making
new friends at school. Her parents
are by her side every step of the way,
stating that she is a very brave little
girl. Morgan Geyser and Annisa Weir
were charged as adults for attempted
murder and use of a deadly weapon. It
has not yet been officially announced
how long of a sentence the girls will
face due to questionable insanity
involved.
Authorities were shocked when they discovered the reason
behind Peyton Leutner’s stabbing: a tribute to the fictional
character Slenderman.
The Linn-Mar Life
The old adage is true: with age comes wisdom
By Brandon Bockstahler
When people age do they really get
wiser? According to howstuffworks.
com, when people get older they actually start to forget information. Their
brain is not at its peak and it takes
longer for them to think. According
to dailymail.co.uk, the fact that older people’s brains work slower than
younger people’s brains is because
younger people have a high amount
of dopamine in their brain, and are
ruled by chemicals that fuel emotions
and impulse, resulting in quick decisions. However, older people have
fewer of these chemicals, resulting in
responses that are more thought out
and wiser.
Renee Bockstahler, a fifty-yearold Quest employee said, “When I
was younger I used to spend money
on things that I just wanted at that
moment in time. Now that I am older
I save money because it will benefit
me in the long term.”
According to psychologytoday.
com, there was a study done at The
University of Waterloo by Igor Grossman and his colleagues. In this study,
the researchers wanted to determine
if age had an impact on how wise
participants were. They studied this
by interviewing random people from
Japan and the United States, ranging
from the age of 25 to 75, about their
reaction to conflict between individuals. The study found that in the
United States, the youngest group of
people were the least wise, then the
middle-aged, followed by the oldest,
who were most wise. This, however, was different with the Japanese
because they were equally as wise
at all ages. Grossman attributed this
difference to the fact that Japan puts
a larger emphasis on kids fitting in at
a younger age than the United States
does.
According to news-medical.net,
there is evidence showing that with
age comes wisdom and that as the
brain gets older, it learns to better
organize its resources. Dr. Monchi
conducted a study to explore the
brain’s regions and the pathways that
are involved in the planning and execution of language-pairing tasks. In
this study, participants were asked
to pair words according to different
rules, including semantic category,
rhyme, or the beginning of the word.
These rules changed several times
during the task without the participant knowing. The study showed that
when the younger participants made
a mistake and had to plan and execute
a new strategy to get the right answer,
they used several parts of their brain
before they knew what the next task
was. When this same task was assigned to the older participants, they
only used these regions of the brain
when they knew the next task.
pervious to criticism and more confident than the young brain.”
According to dailymail.co.uk, experience makes us wiser. Men and
women 60 years and older are better
at decision making that will reward
them in the long term. People in their
20’s and 30’s make decisions based
on what will be the best for them immediately. The University of Texas
and Texas A&M did a study where
they had 50 men and women whose
age ranged from 67-82 store oxygen
on a virtual mission to Mars. They
then had 50 men and women whose
age ranged from 20-36 perform the
same task. These two groups both
had the same options: one option
would decrease in the instant reward
but be more beneficial in the longer
term. The other option would give
an instant reward but would decrease
benefits in the long term. They found
that the older group figured out what
option led to the most long term reward. The younger group chose the
option that would give them an immediate reward.
Jan Teberg, a retired seventythree-year-old grandmother said, “I
definitely feel like I have gotten wiser
as I have aged. I have more experience than I did when I was younger.
I think the experiences that life gives
us doesn’t necessarily always make
people wiser, but for the majority of
people, I think they learn throughout
their life like I have”.
According to Dr. Monchi, “with
age, we decide to make adjustments
only when absolutely necessary. It is
as though the older brain is more im-
Richardson Family Murders:
In Medicine Hat, Canada, 12-yearold Jasmine Richardson was an
honor roll student who looked to a
bright future. Everything was going
great for her until she met 23-yearold Jeremy Steinke at a punk rock
concert in 2006. Jeremy Steinke
portrayed himself to be a 300-yearold werewolf and was deep into goth
culture. Jasmine quickly fell in love
with him and also became obsessed
with the gothic lifestyle. In fact, she
was so in love with him, she was
willing to change her whole demeanor
for him and not let anybody get in the
way of their “love”.
When Jasmine’s parents found
out about her 23-year-old werewolf
boyfriend, they were outraged,
grounding her, and forbidding her
from seeing him again. Furious,
Jasmine told Jeremy the news, but
they would not accept her parent’s
decision. They were in love, and this
was enough reason to kill the family.
Although Jasmine discussed with her
friends their plan to kill her parents,
they never took her seriously. Little
did they know that this would soon
become a reality.
According to authorities, the pair
had some interesting conversations
online, including one to Jeremy from
Jasmine that read, “I have this plan. It
begins with me killing them and ends
with me living with you.”
Jeremy replied, “I love your plan but
we need to get a little more creative
with, like details and stuff.”
On the decided night of the murders,
Jeremy ambushed Debra and Marc in
their basement, stabbing them both
to death. The medical examiner told
authorities he discovered the couple
were each stabbed a total of 24 times.
Steinke told an undercover officer
that at one point Marc looked up and
asked, “Why?” and Jeremy replied,
“Because you treat your daughter
like shit, she wanted it this way.”
At the same time Jeremy killed her
parents, Jasmine viciously stabbed
her little brother in the chest, despite
his pleas to live. After the brutal
murder spree, the couple casually
went to a friend’s house where they
bragged and laughed about what they
had just done. The two went upstairs,
had sex, and then planned their gothic
themed wedding. However, their
plan was quickly put to an end, as
they were arrested the following day.
But jail couldn’t even keep these two
apart. Jeremy proposed to Jasmine in
a jailhouse letter that read: “Without
you, this life isn’t worth living…U
said you want to get engaged? Then
here is a question...will U marry me?
If so, then it’s a verbal agreement.”
Jasmine responded in a letter that
read: “Ahahaha! I never thought I’d
find myself hysterically laughing
in a holding cell in these kinds of
circumstances…or ever really. But
still! Ahaha you make me so happy!
Yes! Yes! I will, I would love to…”
After three counts of first degree
murder, on November 2007, Jasmine
was sentenced to a maximum penalty
of ten years imprisonment and
would be followed by four years in a
psychiatric institution and a four and
a half year conditional supervision.
As for Steinke, who was also found
guilty of three counts of first degree
murder, was sentenced to three life
sentences and eligible for parole after
serving twenty five years.
These three murder stories are truly
horrific, and prove that adults are not
the only ones capable of murder. All
it takes is a motive and a troubled
mind to commit such brutal actions,
no matter what the age.
Jeremy Steinke and Jasmine Richardson were arrested and
charged with the murder of Richardson’s parents. They had
forbidden Richardson to be in a relationship with Steinke.
The Linn-Mar Life
Welcome to the creepiest places on Earth
By Devann Hildenbrand
You can find various creepy
locations and spooky buildings
anywhere in the world, however
there are a handful of areas that
stand out far more than others. Each
of the following places have all of
the key factors needed for a place
to be considered creepy. There is
dark history, eerie silence, and many
unrested souls that makes these
places downright terrifying. These
top five creepiest places on Earth are
guaranteed to give you goosebumps.
If you are a thrill seeker and decide
to check these places out for yourself,
be sure to bring an extra pair of pants.
evacuate, leaving the town to rust.
The rides were hardly enjoyed, the
Ferris wheel was never loaded, and
all that is left here is an eerie silence,
overgrown vegetation, and everything
that was left behind by the previous
residents. Even though the radiation
levels are not completely cleared out,
that hasn’t stopped adventure seekers
from checking out the creepy town.
Besides tourists, photographers,
journalists, and occasional ghost
hunters, nobody has come back to
this town. Today, the abandoned
Pripyat Amusement Park is a popular
icon for it’s desolate and spooky
aura in various scary movies and
videogames, such as “S.T.A.L.K.E.R:
Pripyat Amusement Park: Shadow of Chernobyl.” Andrea
Allison, a ghost story blogger,
If an amusement park with nobody receives many stories from tourists
around doesn’t creep you out, you who have visited Pripyat.
must be very brave. Around 30 years “The Pripyat Amusement Park is very
ago, this amusement park located haunted. People have had the feeling
in Pripyat, Ukraine, was suddenly of being watched when walking past
abandoned after the infamous the city hospital. Considering it looks
Chernobyl nuclear disaster. A like the aftermath of an apocalypse,
population that was once 50,000 is that feeling may be anything but
Apparitions
and
now 0. According to historians, the supernatural.
shadows
are
often
seen.
Some
have
amusement park planned to open the
day before the disaster, and was built even reported being touched. Could
to entertain the power plant workers these be the spirits that still lurk
and their families living in Pripyat. through the city? It could be very
However, this plan quickly changed possible since many people died
after everyone had to immediately during the incident.”
Gas Mask Island:
of citizens living in the midst of a
cataclysmic environmental fallout. To
test the citizens reactions, a live and
active volcano frequently spits out
large amounts toxic sulfur into the
atmosphere. However, the experiment
went wrong in 2000. There was a
major eruption that caused over 17,000
earthquakes over a thirty day period.
3,660 residents refused to leave,
despite the flowing lava, toxic air, and
frequent earthquakes. After the major
eruption, the Tokyo government was
forced to end the experiment, and
evacuate the entire island. It was very
bizarre when the residents returned for
unknown reasons. Historians believe
they returned because they were so
used to living in this environment,
that leaving was too much of a culture
shock. In order to survive on this
island, all of the residents have to
wear gasmasks, even today.
Suicide Forest-
who have visited this forest say they
immediately feel something is off
about the place before they even step
into the area. Mysterious Universe is a
website that writes about paranormal
locations and people’s experiences.
One blogger on the website writes
about their personal experience
entering the forest.
“The first thing one may notice
continued on Page 11
where you don’t want to get lost. I
don’t think I’ve really been more
terrified than by what happens on the
island when one of the dolls starts
unexplainably laughing. That was it
for me. Done.”
If the creepy image of thousands of
people in gas masks doesn’t freak
you out, go ahead and book a trip
to Miyakejima. On a small island in
southeast Japan, Miyakejima is home
to 2,400 people. All of these people
are required to carry gasmasks
everywhere they go, and wear them
most of the time. If that doesn’t
add to the creep factor, the town is
completely gloomy, and looks like
a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The
atmosphere is filled with a thick ashy
fog, and the air is never completely
cleared, looking as if it came straight
out of a horror film. The history of
this island is quite spooky. According
to historians, the island was meant
as a government experiment that
began in the early 20th century.
The goal of the experiment was to
monitor the psychological effects
The beautiful Aokigahara forest
lays at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan.
However, don’t let its appearance
fool you. This cursed forest is
infamously known as the “perfect
place to die” or the “Suicide Forest”.
Hundreds of people travel here each
year to commit suicide, mainly by
hanging or drug overdose. People
Island of the Dolls:
If you think dolls are creepy, imagine
an entire island filled with thousands
of dolls hanging from trees. Just south
of Mexico City, between the canals
of Xochimilco, is a small island with
a sad background, which was never
intended to be a tourist destination.
The island is known as Isla de las
Munecas (Island of the Dolls).
According to legend, a girl was
discovered drowned at the bottom of
the canal, and the dolls are possessed
by her spirit. A man by the name of
Don Julian Santana was the caretaker
of this island. Locals say that the man
was present when the girl drowned,
but he could not save her. After the
girl drowned, Santana found a doll
mysteriously floating down the
canal. As a peace offering, he hung
that doll to a tree. Ever since then,
in an effort to please the girl’s spirit,
Santana would bring loads of dolls
to the island to add to the collection.
Some locals believe that Santana was
possessed while doing so, and that the
dolls are actually evil. After 50 years
of placing dolls on the island, Don
Julian Santana was found dead in the
same exact spot as the little girl who
drowned. The cause of his death is
unknown to this day. People checking
the island out for themselves say they
have heard dolls crying, have seen
the doll’s heads and limbs moving,
and their eyes opening and closing.
Countless ghost investigators have
visited this nightmarish island to
gather their own evidence of the
spirit activity. Zak Bagans, from the
hit show “Ghost Adventures,” shares
his experience on the island.
“I’d have to say the scariest place
for me this season was Mexico
to investigate at the Island of the
Dolls. This place wasn’t about evil
spirits or demons, it was about a
place full of possessed dolls that
just really got under my skin. The
Aztec canals where the Island of
the Dolls is located have their own
countless layers of other dark history
and ancient hauntings on top of the
Island’s possessed dolls — the whole
area is just a very scary place to be.
It’s a haunted Mexican waterworld
The Linn-Mar Life
The Music Man- Riley Anderson
By Riley Callahan
Any high school student looking
for a friend to talk to, a good role
model, or someone to help them
with any music crisis, can turn to
Senior Riley Anderson. Along with
being in an extensive list of clubs
and activities, Riley is a four-year
All State choir member, co-president
of National Honor Society, the lead
of this year’s spring musical, South
Pacific, but most importantly, an
overall good person.
“Riley is a very caring person and
will not be afraid to stand up for his
friends. He can also be brutally honest
and sassy, but he always means well,”
said Anderson’s girlfriend, Senior
Sierra Jones.
The only thing that Anderson
loves more than food, is music. As
a member of 10th Street Edition, the
varsity level show choir ensemble at
Linn Mar, marching band, concert
choir, and concert band, he basically
lives through music. Many students
have seen him showing his talents
during the Variety Show, Get in the
Spirit, or at show choir performances.
“Riley has an obsession with music.
But usually choir music and musical
theatre. He doesn’t listen to the radio
at all. Fun fact: he once spent an hour
just looking at show choir videos on
YouTube,” said Jones.
Anderson has been involved in
choir and band since elementary
school, show choir for six years, and
All State for four years, which is very
impressive because there is only one
other person at the school who can
currently say that.
“I love being in the music program
because it’s fun when a bunch of
people who are really into music can
come together to fine tune and perfect
a piece. I especially enjoy All State
because the directors and your quartet
make sure you are learning the music
so, although it can be stressful, at the
end you realize how much you have
grown and how much work you have
put into something you really enjoy
continued from Page 11
is the disconcerting silence here. The
density of the closely packed trees
blocks the sun and wind, producing
a dark, eerie blanket of quiet, which
is further compounded by the curious
lack of wildlife in the area. The
sounds of birds and other wildlife that
one might expect to hear chirping and
chattering in abundance are oddly
absent or subdued, as if they have
shunned this place or are hiding from
something.”
So many suicides have taken
place in this forest that it is nearly
impossible to predict exactly how
many people have taken their own
lives. Because this forest is notorious
for it’s countless suicides, a sign was
put up before you enter, urging those
who enter to not take their own lives.
It reads,
“Life is an important thing we
and love. Its competitive process and
we always try to cheer each other
on,” said Anderson.
His musical talents will be
obvious when he performs as Emile
De Becque in the spring musical.
He is fully ready to take on this role
after being involve in both Guys and
Dolls and The Sound of Music his
sophomore and junior years of high
school.
“I was really surprised when I
found out I was the lead because I
know there are lots of talented actors
and singers and I haven’t acted much.
Now that practices have started I have
realized that acting is a lot more than
just saying lines,” said Anderson.
Positivity is something that Riley
does not lack either. Despite his
opinion that he cannot dance at all,
one of his most valued activities is
show choir. This season 10th Street
Edition never got the chance to be
grand champions at a competition and
get one of those first place trophies. In
fact, they only got one kind of trophy,
the fourth place kind, at all four of
their competitions. Some students
may be disappointed by an average
senior year but not Riley.
“Trophies aren’t what make
champions. Always pushing forward
and making yourself fight and defend
what you are involved in are the true
marks of a champion. 10th Street had
amazing performances this year, and
they will definitely stick with me as
award-winning ones. After all, four
divided by four equals one,” said
Anderson.
He plans to continue his passion
as a music education major although
he has not committed to a school.
Wartburg, Drake, and UNI are his top
contenders. Each school is mostly
equal in his eyes and he has friends
going to all of his options so he still
has quite a decision to make before
the end of the year.
“I want to eventually work at a
public high school for a few years
and then get my doctorate and work
at a college. What’s really cool is
how supportive my family is. They
are willing to fund pretty much any
music project I want to go into and
my sister has a job in music so I think
they understand how viable music is
as a career and they just want me to
be happy. I’m just really excited to
foster the learning of young minds
through music, and share with my
students the opportunities that I was
given in my musical career,” said
Anderson.
There is one huge role model in
Riley’s life and that is his sister,
Kelsey, who is a musical therapist
living in Michigan. Her involvement
in music sparked his interest and
gave him the ideas which lead him to
where he is now.
“While we didn’t grow up together
like most siblings have because she
is so much older, she still taught me
a lot. I also saw her perform at many
school events; which is the reason
that I am involved in music today.
She still texts me all the time, and
she is my biggest cheerleader,” said
Anderson.
When Riley finally goes off to live
his dreams as the next Mr. Anderson,
teachers may miss having a dedicated
and lively student in their classes.
He tends to stress himself out over
being an above average student at the
high school, leaving him physically
pulling his hair out due to a nervous
habit. Still, all of his hard work has
paid off, leaving him with a multitude
of scholarship opportunities and an
impressive resume.
“Riley has a very high expectation
for himself,” says Jones. “He’s
committed to getting good grades
which can make him stress out to the
max.”
Not only will teachers and students
here miss him, but he will miss the
high school.
“I am very nervous about the end
of the year and all that it brings. It’s
hard to believe that my four years
here are almost over, and that I won’t
be sleeping in my own bed or be
able to go to some of the places that
I’ve become accustomed to over the
years,” said Anderson. “Before I leave
here I want to make sure I thank all
the teachers that I have had for giving
me a great educational experience.
And yes I will cry at graduation. It’s
going to be hard not to, seeing all of
my friends parting ways and making
their own paths in life.”
Though he is leaving he will be
leaving with plenty of good memoires.
All of his favorite memories involve
his girlfriend, Sierra Jones, at dances
or pool parties, and on dates. He
will also especially miss being able
to hang out with friends at any time
and spending time at show choir,
regardless of his dancing abilities.
His only regrets from high school is
being so shy his first two years and
not being more involved in LinnMar’s amazing theater program.
Despite everything that is going to
change and the activities that he will
miss, overall he is ready to move onto
this new chapter in his life.
“My biggest fear leaving high
school is to not reach my full
potential as a human being. I hope
that I can achieve the purpose I was
meant to at some point in my life,”
said Anderson.
receive from our parents. Think
once more about your parents, your
siblings, your children. Don’t suffer
alone. Please talk with someone.”
Sadly, this message has not
been very effective, since suicide
rates continue to climb. According
to a study in Japan, more than 100
bodies are found every year in this
mysterious forest. Nobody knows
why this specific area triggers so
many suicides, but many paranormal
experts believe there is a negative
entity, or force that drives people to
the point of taking their own lives.
According to Mysterious Universe,
some survivors of suicide attempts in
Aokigahara have told of having had
the vague feeling of being somehow
called to or pulled towards the forest,
and of having the inexplicable
compulsion to make the journey
there. Are these really supernatural
forces leading these people to death,
or is it their own doings? Only those
despairing, forgotten souls who spent
their last moments in this dark and
quiet shadow of Mt. Fuji will ever
know for sure.
The Linn-Mar Life
Disease, disappointment, expense...
There are plenty of reasons why you should wait to have sex
By Destiny Gee
Three in 10 teenage American girls
get pregnant before they turn 20, according to dosomething.org. This figure is absurd when we have the medical advances of birth control and condoms. High school isn’t the time to
start having sex; waiting is worth it. I
believe that waiting to have sex is one
of the best things someone can do,
because when you have sex there is
the risk of pregnancy and STI’s. You
may say that these are not possible if
you use birth control and condoms.
Well, birth control doesn’t work 100
percent of the time and a condom is
just latex, which can break.
Being part of the 3 in 10 teenage
girls in America that has a child is
not easy. According to stayteen.org,
parenthood is the leading reason why
teen girls drop out of high school and
fewer than half of teenage mothers
will graduate high school. Less than
two percent will earn a college degree before turning 30. If you do have
a child while in high school, statistics show that eight out of 10 teenage
fathers won’t marry the girl who has
had their child. Thinking you can rely
on child support to help with the costs
of raising your child? Due to being
poor himself, the average high school
aged father cannot afford to pay more
than $800 per year in child support.
The average child support payment
for adults is $430 per month, according to the Quad-City Times newspaper.
If you feel like someone is pushing
you to have sex and you aren’t ready
for it, there are plenty of reasons
or excuses to say no. According to
stayteen.org, some common reasons
are: waiting for the right guy or girl,
against religious beliefs, don’t want
to catch an STI, and just not feeling
ready yet. To be in a happy relationship, you don’t need to have sex.
I would rather date someone who
doesn’t want to have sex until marriage or who knows they’re with the
right person before having sex.
In order to make a relationship
work, there are plenty of things that
must exist, such as communication,
trust and respect. When your partner
does something you don’t like, you
need to not just stay quiet; you need
to tell them how you feel about it.
If they push for sex when you don’t
want to have sex, tell them you aren’t
ready. Some people make mistakes,
but you can’t let your ex determine
how much trust you have for your
current partner. It’s okay to stay single and wait to heal before starting a
new relationship.
Sex might not seem like a big deal
in today’s society because everyone is
talking about it, but it is a huge deal!
There is the possibility of getting an
STD or even getting pregnant. There
are some STD’s that can be cured but
some can’t be cured. Three million
teens get an STI every year. While
Chlamydia and crabs can be cured,
HIV/AIDS, herpes, and HPV are not
curable diseases. Another effect of
having sex is possible pregnancy. If
a woman gets pregnant that doesn’t
mean the man will stay and raising a child on your own is difficult
for both mother and baby. Having a
child while you’re a teenager leaves
you 50 percent more likely to repeat
a grade in school. The daughter of a
teen mom is three times as likely to
become a teen mom herself, and the
son of a teenage mother is twice as
likely to end up in prison, according
to stayteen.org.
STI’s are not fun, they can cause
infertility, organ damage, cervical
cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease,
and death. Even if you do have sex,
talk to your partner about things like
their sexual history, STI’s, and condoms. Talking to them may be awkward but if you’re going to participate
in an intimate act with them, talking
about your concerns is necessary. After having sex you should be tested
for STD’s just in case your partner
didn’t know he or she had one. Finally, avoid drugs and alcohol which can
influence you to make bad decisions
and do something you wouldn’t have
otherwise done.
America needs to fix inconsistent educational system
By Brandon Bockstahler
Based on ACT scores, the United
States has an inconsistent educational
system. According to the ACT
company, national and state scores
in 2014 ranged from a low of
18.2 in Hawaii to a high of 24.3 in
Massachusetts. The national average
was a score of 21. The difference
between these two state averages is
6.1 points. When the average score is
only 21, 6.1 is a significant variance
and shows the inconsistency of
schooling in the United States. Not
only are the scores different from
state to state, but the scores also
fluctuate from year to year. In Hawaii
in 2010, the average score was 21.6.
In 2014, the average score in the
state was 18.2. These differences in
these scores show that not only does
the education differ based on the
geographic region, but scores also
vary for other reasons. A c c o r d i n g
to ACT.org and insidehighered.com,
there is a greater number of students
wanting to go to college and taking
the ACT than ever before. In 2014,
1.84 million student took this test.
However, only 39 percent of the
students who took this test scored
within the range that colleges want.
This is a concerning statistic because
test scores haven’t improved over
time, instead they are inconsistent.
According to msdn.com, one of the
reasons why there is inconsistency
with schooling is because of poverty.
Elementary school teacher
Amanda Horner, who is a teacher in
the Falcon school district in Colorado
Springs, said, “I was not taught in
college how to teach kids differently
based on the wealth of the family,
but when I started teaching in this
school district I took professional
development classes that focused on
teaching students in poverty.”
Students who come from
an impoverished community would
struggle if their teacher was not
taught how to deal with economic
differences. There is not only
inconsistency with students at
the lower levels of education and
socio-economic status, there is
also inconsistency within college
programs that educate students who
will become teachers.
Britney
Bockstahler,
a
student at the University of Northern
Iowa (UNI), who is an elementary
education major said, “In my teacher
education training I have been
taught extensively about teaching
students from diverse backgrounds.
It is stressed that we know about and
accommodate for students’ differing
cultures and backgrounds, which are
complexly influenced by ethnicity,
gender, race, socioeconomic status,
religion, and much more.”
Sarah Marston, a student at
University of Northern Iowa said, “I
have become much more aware of
the role that students’ backgrounds
play in their experiences in my
classroom.”
Both Britney and Sarah
received a substantial amount of
training on how to teach kids from
different
backgrounds
whereas
Amanda was not taught this until she
taught in a school district where she
needed to know how to handle kids
that came from families living in
poverty.
According to gov.uk, another
reason there is inconsistency of
education is because there is not a
consistent type of schooling. There
are private schools where the students
don’t have to follow the national
curriculum. There are academies
that have to follow the rules on
admissions, special education needs
and exclusions like state schools,
but do not have to follow national
curriculum standards. There are faithbased schools that can teach subject
matter based on their particular
religion. There are even boarding
schools that provide free education
but charge a fee for boarding.
Britney
Bockstahler,
a
student at the University of Northern
Iowa, said “having different types
of schools, each having different
requirements
contributes
to
inconsistency in schools in the United
States”.
EditorialsEditorialsEditorials
The Linn-Mar Life
Spanking kids sends the wrong message
By Celine Metrot
Many parents and many kids who
will be parents in the future seem to
be okay with hitting their children
as a form of punishment. I do not
agree with this majority, and believe
violence is never the answer to any
problem. The problem is, because a
majority of people were raised with
their parents hitting them, they will
then raise their kids the same way
because they only know that method
and they believe they have not
suffered because of it. Parents need
to stop disciplining their children
in this manner and find alternative
non-physical forms of punishment.
There are many different effective
discipline methods that can be used
rather than hitting.
Children look up and learn from
their parents. By hitting them, parents
are teaching their children that it is
normal to hit people, as long as they
are smaller, weaker or younger. It
prevents the child from learning how
to solve a conflict responsibly in
the outside world. It also interferes
with the bonds formed between the
children and their parents, because it
is not natural to love someone who
hurts you.
A child is a human being in
development, especially regarding
the brain. Fifty percent of adults hit
their children before the age of two.
What can a child of that age come
to understand from this discipline?
He is too young to understand the
reason he was bad and he will grow
up scared of being hit. He will not
grow up to understand the errors he
makes, but will just be scared of the
consequences. Spanking is not useful;
it is dangerous and ineffective.
In most parts of the world, hitting
an adult is punishable by law and
hitting an animal is called abuse,
so why is hitting a child looked at
differently? Hitting your child can
lead to residual anger that builds up
after years of punishment.
Most people who favor spanking
reason that they were spanked when
they were younger
and they benefitted
and learned from such
incidents. They believe
spanking is a useful
method to teach kids
the rules of the house.
But what if the child
could have turned out
much better without
this extreme method of
enforcement? Nothing
good can come from
hitting anyone or from
being violent.
Using violence to
educate your child is
never a good decision,
even if this method was used on
you. Parents are looked up to by
children, who are growing humans
who should be treated like everyone
else. Spanking sets a bad example for
children and should be prohibited.
By Devann Hildenbrand
Every day, animals across the
United States are being beaten,
abandoned, and starved and little
is done about it. It’s time to put a
stop to the progressing heartless,
senseless, and horrific acts of cruelty
that animals suffer. All 50 states have
laws against animal abuse, but most
of them are hardly enforced and the
punishments are too lenient. Being
strongly against animal abuse, I feel
that the best way to fight abuse is
to strengthen the laws against it and
regularly enforce them.
Efforts to increase the punishment
for animal abuse cases has been
a failure in the Legislature for
years. While most states consider
animal abuse a felony, states such
as South Dakota still consider this
a misdemeanor. With such a small
charge for abusing an innocent
animal, it does not seem to be a big
deal to abuse. By strengthening
animal abuse laws and increasing
punishments, more animals will
be protected from acts of cruelty,
neglect, and abuse, giving them the
voice they never had. Strengthening
these laws will make more people
aware of how serious this issue really
is. This will hopefully convince more
people to speak up when they see acts
of animal abuse taking place.
Every year, the Humane Society of
the United States rescues thousands
of animals from miserable situations.
With enforced laws to support their
rescues, and with more people
speaking up when they see animal
abuse, these animals can be helped
even more. According to the Humane
Society of the United States, most
cases are never even reported and the
suffering for these animals continues
to grow. Currently, laws to protect
animals from abusive situations vary
by state.
While there are efforts to try to
increase penalties, if someone does
something extreme, like torturing
and killing an animal, the sentences
are very minimal in some states.
Penalties for cases of animal abuse
can range from zero jail time up to 10
years of jail time, depending on state
laws and the offence. But when you
look at the emotional and physical
damage done to these animals, the
punishment does not seem effective
at all.
“The penalties overwhelmingly
are not that severe when you look at
the harm to animals,” says
Allie
Phillips, director of the National
Center for Prosecution of Animal
Abuse.
Once a person conducts an act of
abuse on any animal, they should be
completely prohibited from owning a
pet all together. With this punishment,
repeat offenders do not have a chance
to repeat the same behavior with other
pets. Children who abuse animals
should be given psychiatric care to
correct their behavior. Doing this can
help these children learn the correct,
non-aggressive behavior for dealing
with their emotions and actions
instead of hurting animals. As for
adults who are found responsible for
animal abuse, instead of a small fine
or a couple years in jail, fines need
to be increased and jail time needs
to be extended. This discourages
animal abuse before it happens to
more animals. Without applying
these strict changes, how are abusive
situations ever going to change?
Many people believe that those
who are capable of abusing animals
would be more likely to also abuse
humans.
“If someone is cold and calculated
and goes out of their way to torture an
animal just for the sheer amusement
of it, they need not be let out (of
prison) again. Those are the ones
who are a danger to society, those
are the ones who will never learn
because that’s enjoyment for them.
Those are the ones who will harm a
person, eventually,” said an animal
lover from Missouri.
According to the HSUS, the
people that tend to abuse animals
are individuals with mental or
emotional problems. Out of anger
or hatred, they let their feelings out
by beating, shooting, starving, and
stabbing animals who cannot defend
themselves.
People who disagree with
increasing animal abuse laws claim
that it is too much work and effort to
enforce laws regarding to animals.
Instead, they believe that human
victims are more important to focus
on. Animals are living things just like
we are, and if they are put under the
care of a person, it is that person’s
responsibility to nurture the animal.
If someone is mentally or physically
unable to care for a pet, then they
should not own one. It is also proven
that people who abuse animals are
also very likely to harm people as
well, including family members.
According to the Humane Society
of the United States, 71 percent of
people who abuse animals are also
involved in domestic abuse. This
correlation proves that people who
abuse animals are also likely to harm
people as well. If we can put a stop
to animal abuse, crime rates such
as domestic abuse may also see a
substantial drop.
By increasing jail time, increasing
fines, and providing counseling
for those that cannot handle their
emotions or actions, people that
abuse animals will get the proper
punishment they deserve and animals
will get the justice they deserve.
More needs to be done to stop animal cruelty
EditorialsEditorialsEditorials
The Linn-Mar Life
Test your social media savvy with this quick quiz
By Philip Adams
Ninety one percent of mobile
internet use is used for accessing
social media sites. Social media
is defined by Webster Merriam
Dictionary as “forms of electronic
communication (as in websites
for social networking and
microblogging) through which
users create online communities to
share information, ideas, personal
messages, and other content.
Teenagers have been the
front-runners of the social media
explosion in the last decade
“I get on [twitter] when I’m
bored; is a good way to see what
my friends are up to,” said LinnMar High School Senior Brandon
Abel.
It’s pretty safe to assume that
every student at Linn-Mar has
used some social media site at
some point in their lives. Without
a doubt, social media has become
a vital source of information
that a majority of the world has
become dependent upon, but how
much do you actually know about
these sites? Did you know that 10
percent of internet traffic involves
YouTube? Or that food makes up
57 percent of pins on Pinterest?
Maybe you make up the 70 percent
of Instagram users who check the
app once a day, or maybe you’re
a part of the 40 percent of Twitter
users who have never sent a tweet.
Whether you’re a social media
novice or an old pro, see if you can
answer these questions about the
history and daily happenings of
some of the top social media sites.
1. Who founded Facebook?
2. In what year was YouTube
founded?
3. What is the name of the bird
that is the logo for Twitter?
4. What social media company
bought Instagram for $1
billion in 2012?
5. How long does the average
Facebook
User
spend
logged in per day?
6. How old is Twitter?
7. What percent of Instagram
users live in the U.S.?
Answers:
Who founded Facebook?
Mark Zuckerberg founded
Facebook in February of 2004.
Eleven years later, there are now
1.23 billion Facebook accounts.
Interestingly, about 30 million
people who are deceased still have
Facebook accounts that have never
been removed and about 9 percent
of accounts are fake. More U.S.
citizens have Facebook accounts
than voted in the last presidential
election!
In what year was YouTube
Founded?
Youtube was founded in 2005
by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and
Jawed Karim. The friends were
upset by how difficult it was to share
videos they had taken at a dinner
party so they created the website
that today is the second most
popular search engine in the world
behind only Google. There is about
four billion hours of video viewed
each month and the average video
lasts only two minutes and forty
three seconds. YouTube broadcasts
about one third of the United States’
multimedia entertainment.
What is the name of the bird that
is the logo for Twitter?
Larry the Bird was the official
name for the internationally
recognizable
little
silhouette
until 2012. He was named after
basketball legend Larry Bird of the
Boston Celtics. Currently, the logo
is based off a Mountain Bluebird
and is simply named “The Twitter
Bird”
What social media company
bought Instagram in 2012 for $1
billion?
Facebook bought Instagram in
2012 for $1 billion dollars in cash
and stocks. Instagram had only 13
employees at the time. There have
been 16 billion photos uploaded to
Instagram in its five year history
and 57 million of those sport the
hashtag “#selfie.”
How long does the average
Facebook User spend logged in
per day?
Forty minutes is the average time
spent per day liking and friending
according to CNBC. Although
those results might be skewed
by the fact that 600,000 accounthacking attempts are made every
day. Regardless, Facebook users
still shell out 1.8 million “Likes”
per minute and the average adult
has 338 Facebook friends.
How old is twitter?
Twitter was founded in March
of 2006 but it was not open to the
public until July 15th, 2006 making
it nine years old. In those nine
years, about 500 million tweets are
sent every day and 10 tweets per
second mention Starbucks.
What percentage of Instagram
users live in the U.S.?
Only 40 percent of Instagram
users live in The United States.
Five million photos are uploaded
daily to the photo sharing site.
Social media is an enormous
influence on our daily lives in the
21st century.
“Tumblr is my life!” said LinnMar Senior Jensen Sevening, who
logs into the micro-blogging site
at least once daily. The incredible
thing is that social media is actually
a very effective and reliable way
to receive information but like all
good things, you should enjoy it
in moderation. Be sure to monitor
yourself and never forget to put
that phone down once and a while
to really enjoy the company of the
people you are with. Assuming,
of course, they aren’t too busy
snapchatting.
The lengths some people will go to get out of a date
By Katie Davenport
When a person has plans to go
on a date with someone and they are
completely dreading it, they usually
come up with some sort of excuse to
get out of it. Some people take the
route of making up an extremely brilliant excuse that is totally believable.
Other people come up with the most
ridiculous and unbelievable excuses but simply don’t care because all
they want is to get out of the date.
The person getting canceled on may
not be too happy about it, but they
don’t care. There are many ways to
go about canceling dates and many
excuses to get out of them, it just depends on how clever you are.
Men cancel dates for many reasons. According to Baggage Reclaim,
a man may cancel a date because at
the time of the initial meeting, he
could have been extremely intoxicated and made the plans to go on the
date without knowing that he was
doing so. Men may cancel a date
because he was just using you as a
rebound and then got back together
with his ex and can’t be caught messing around with you anymore even if
he may have the temptations to says
Baggage Reclaim. A big reason why
men may cancel a date is because he
simply just wants sex and he doesn’t
want to have to deal with the lovey-dovey relationship crap. And sorry ladies, the sad truth to why a guy
may be canceling on you might just
be that he has a better offer.
It is not just men; women cancel
dates too. According to an article entitled “Understanding Relationships”,
usually when a woman is canceling a
date they come up with some excuse
that has to deal with a family member or a friend emotionally needing
them at that exact moment. When a
woman is canceling a date and they
don’t bring up rescheduling it, then
they probably don’t want to actually
go on the date at all. A women may
also cancel on a guy because while
she finds a guy funny and appealing,
maybe she just isn’t feeling that spark
or sexual attraction. Some woman
play around with men out of boredom
or are just waiting for the right time
to tell them that she isn’t that interested in him. When at a bar or social
event, a women may give a guy her
number just to break the interaction
with him at the time. Most guys will
take the number and leave and then
that gives the women time to think of
an excuse as to why she won’t ever
talk to him again. “Understanding
Relationships” says that woman usually don’t just cancel a date without
any warning, they usually drop hints
that they aren’t that interested.
When canceling dates, some people give realistic excuses as to why
they can’t go on the date because
they want to avoid hurting the person’s feelings. According to Gurl.
com, people may use the excuse that
they are too busy with work or school
and really need to take the time to get
stuff done. People may also use the
excuse that they have family obligations that they need to fulfill or that
they are sick or too tired to go out.
According to Kiera Soteco, “When
canceling a date, I would say that I
am sick or that I got back together
with my ex. I would feel bad and not
want to hurt his feelings so I would
want to make the excuse was as realistic as possible.”
Other people could care less if the
person they are canceling on believes
their excuse or not.
According to The Stir, some peo-
ple have used the following ridiculous excuses for breaking a date. “I
can’t afford a beer,” “my phone was
stolen,” “I am on house arrest.” Some
people may use sarcastic excuses to
be humorous. According to Chris
Danielson, “When giving an excuse
as to why I cannot go on a date with
a girl, I mostly just say that my mommy won’t let me and she is the most
important person in my life.” If the
person gets out of the date using a
bizarre excuse, they don’t really care
how they did it, they are just happy
they got out of it.
A lot of people have different opinions on making up excuses and canceling on a date. According to Parker
Harrington, “If they didn’t want to go
on a date in the first place, then why
agree to go on one? I feel like it is
okay to cancel on a date but the person should at least do it in advance so
it is not a last minute thing.”
Some people think it is okay for
a person to make up an excuse to not
go on a date with someone because
people change their minds. Others
believe that that if the person agreed
to go on the date in the first place,
then they should suck it up and go on
the date.
The Linn-Mar Life
Homeschooling can have advantages: is it for you?
By Devann Hildenbrand
Deciding
whether
to
homeschool or not depends on
the student and their situation,
but currently, homeschooling is
really trending. According to the
National Home Education Research
Institution, there are currently about
2.2 million home-educated students
in the United States. That number
continues to grow at an estimated 2-8
percent per year. According to the
HSLDA, the reasons for this increase
in students choosing homeschooling
is because this format:continues the
family-building process
· provides an excellent work
environment
· individualizes
based on needs
education
· accelerates the academic process
· creates direct influence over
peer relationships
· protects from the pressure to
conform
· maintains flexibility
· creates an overall safe learning environment.
Despite
these
positive
impacts, the well-known negative
impact of homeschooling is the lack of
socialization. Without being around
other students, many homeschooled
students may become antisocial. In an
academic study by Homeschooling
Statistics, “92 percent of public
school superintendents who were
surveyed believed homeschooled
children do not receive adequate
socialization experiences.”
This can have more of a
negative impact in the future when
working with other people. If you
are a student who wishes to be
homeschooled, but would also like to
stay social by being part of activities
at school such as band, orchestra,
or sports, this can be an option.
According to Editorial Projects
in Education Research Center, it
has been estimated that 20 percent
of homeschool students enroll in
public schools at least part-time to
participate in school activities.
Senior Alysia Cleppe, who
has been enrolled in homeschooling
since 2nd grade, describes her
experience.
“I started homeschooling
mainly because my older brother
wanted to be. He was bullied by both
students and teachers at his school
and asked my parents if we could
be homeschooled. Pros and cons
honestly depend on the person. For
me, the biggest pro is that I am the
master of my own schedule and life.
It frees up my schedule to travel and/
or be a bum for the day. The only
con is that unless you are part of a
homeschool group, your chances of
being a hermit with no social skills
are high, but you can add activities to
keep your social life intact. I would
definitely recommend it though,
especially if you have a hard time
learning in a school environment.
You can find curriculums that teach
the way you learn and you can go
at your own pace, making it so you
actually learn what is being taught,
not just memorizing it so you can
pass. Overall for me, I feel that my
education is higher than it would
have been in public school. I think
both educationally and socially, I am
more prepared for college now than
I would have been in public school.”
Options for different methods
are available to adjust to your lifestyle
and learning abilities. The most
popular method of homeschooling
used is the eclectic approach, which
is partially structured and partly
internet-based. If you are a student
who feels they would perform better
by being homeschooled or just overall
prefer this method of education, the
option is available in the Linn-Mar
district. Linn-Mar’s Home Schooling
Assistance Program is available for
any students, grades K-12 in the
Linn-Mar district that wish to be
enrolled in homeschooling. There is
no deadline to get started, so you can
enroll anytime. The process to start
homeschooling starts with choosing
which method best suits you as a
student, then gathering your resources
needed for each class, and signing
up. The LMHSAP program helps
students get started by providing
needs and resources while continuing
to help and support throughout the
year. Depending on which method
of homeschooling students will be
using, parents are required to support
the student by providing proper
resources and proper education. If
necessary, The LMHSAP program
can assist parents with this by trying
different methods and approaches
that work best for both the student
and the parent. A resource teacher
is provided for each student to keep
track of progress by requiring four
face-to-face contacts per quarter
with the student and the parents. It is
important to familiarize yourself with
the laws and regulations regarding
homeschooling in Iowa. If you, or
anyone you know is interested in
homeschooling, they may contact
a school counselor, the Linn-Mar
homeschooling coordinator, Jeff
Frost, or homeschooling assistant
Louanne Lawson to get started.
claims in their marketing campaigns
about strengthening foot muscles and
decreasing injuries unless the company finds new and substantial evidence
to support their ads.
common sense.
Did barefoot running lead to injuries?
By Zach Hendricks
Everyone remembers a few
years ago when those crazy rubber toe-shoes came onto the scene.
They were brightly colored running
“shoes” and they were all the rage for
runners. That is, until people started
complaining of injuries due to these
“barefoot running shoes”. Lawsuit
anyone? Approximately 3.75 million dollars is the amount of money Vibram Fivefingers has to pay to
settle a class-action lawsuit recently
from a woman who claimed that the
company deceived consumers when
it claimed, without any scientific support, that its shoes decrease foot injuries and strengthen the muscles in
your feet.
Vibram USA is a company based
out of Massachusetts that makes Five
Finger running shoes. Valerie Bezdek
brought the class action suit against
Vibram in March 2012. Bezdek alleged that Vibram was deceiving its
customers by advertising footwear
that could strengthen foot muscles
and decrease injuries, without any
scientific backing.
The settlement that was eventually
reached works in two parts. The first
part is for Vibram to create an escrow
account and deposit $3.75 million
into it. From there, anyone who has
purchased a pair of Vibrams from
2009 until the date of the decision
can get back anywhere from $20 to
$50. Anyone can fill out a form but
Vibram will only let a customer fill
out two forms before they make you
show proof of your purchase. If any
portion of the $3.75 million is left
after all the costs have been paid,
the remainder will be donated to the
American Heart Association for research on health benefits of running.
For the second part of the agreement, Vibram has to stop making
Vibram is also required to establish
a website www.fivefingerssettlement.
com to inform people of the settlement. The company also has to post
banner ads all over websites like runnersworld.com and Facebook.com,
in order to reach up to 300,000,00
people.
Many people are very upset about
this lawsuit.
“There’s no doubt that the muscles will be strengthened,” said Ross
Tucker, an exercise physiologist. He
is right. A study done by a group
called Barefoot Runners conducted
an experiment to measure the density
of muscle on the foot before and after
starting barefoot running.
“The results were obvious,” said
John Kawak. “It is common knowledge that your feet will be strengthened with you take off the cast they
have spent their whole life in.”
Many people are saying that the
claims made against the company
would be prevented if people used
“Vibram has a very clear cut path
that you are supposed to take when
you first start,” said a spokesperson
for Vibrams. “Many of the injuries
occur because someone goes too
fast.”
Because most people are not
used to barefoot running, the program starts out with the consumer
running a fourth of a mile to half a
mile the first week. Consumers then
work their way up to a 5k within two
months. Those who have problems
with their feet are usually rushing
their training. Learning to run barefoot is a completely new experience.
You use muscles that have atrophied,
meaning that you no longer use them
because you walk in shoes. When
these muscles are worked hard, they
will hurt, sometimes severely. Many
people switching to Vibrams will
complain of DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness. This can get so
severe that people won’t be able to
walk without extreme pain in their
calves and Achilles.
“The key to switching to Vibrams
or even barefoot running is to take as
long as you need. Don’t rush it and
make sure it feels good,” said Ross
Tucker.
The Linn-Mar Life
Stressed about college? You’re not alone
By Katie Davenport
Being a teen in high school can be
very stressful. Trying to balance academic classes, getting good grades,
activities, and work into one schedule
can be very difficult. Add planning
for your future and deciding which
college to attend into the mix, and
everything becomes even more overwhelming. This is what seniors in
high school have to deal with.
Planning where to go to college is
very stressful, especially if a person
does not even know what they want
to do when they “grow up.” According to Tuesday Hanson, a senior at
Linn-Mar High School, “At first it
was really stressful because all of my
friends were getting into big universities and I was still trying to figure
out what I wanted to do.”
teens feel they cannot go to a certain
college because it is too expensive.
The cost can be overwhelming because who wants to graduate with a
mountain of student debt?
According to an article on Huff
Post, going into college not knowing exactly what you want to do is
okay because you will find what your
passions are once you get there. The
article also stresses that it is okay to
not know your major because multiple people change their majors after
finding their true interests in college.
According to Olivia Wagner, a senior at Linn-Mar High School, “This
is the hardest decision because it affects a huge part of my life. Financials affected my decision 100 percent and made it more stressful and
harder to choose where to go.” This is
why it is very important to look into
scholarships and apply for as many as
you can. It may take a lot of time, but
later in life it will be worth it.
Another very stressful aspect of
choosing a college is the cost. Some
What’s college really like?
By Hannah Slowey
You walk into a house party
and the blood is pumping through
your veins in excitement for the
night that is about to ensue. The
music is pulsating through your
entire body and the liquor is flowing
heavily. You can’t believe that you
are finally here. It seems like this
is what you have been waiting for
your whole life--to get out and be
free from the restrictions of your
parents. But is this really what
college is like? High school students
get their academic perceptions of
college from their school guidance
counselors who tell them about the
educational benefits and discuss
the goals they want to achieve in
their life. Parents think that college
for their students will consist of
studying 24 hours a day. The media
idolizes all of the drunken frat
parties that you could go to every
single day. And a student’s bank
accounts tell them of the tens of
thousands of dollars of debt they
are about to endure. But who has
the right idea here? You can’t really
know what college is like until you
experience it for yourself. Some
college students that you may know,
spoke out about what it is really like
on campus.
“[You are told] that high
school prepares you but it totally
doesn’t,” says Anya Ogilvie, a
2014 graduate who now attends
the University of Northern Iowa.
“High school did not prepare me for
all of the homework and studying.
Most of the stuff you do you have to
figure out how and where to do it on
your own.” Ogilvie went on to say,
“Textbooks are so pricey… Like
I never knew to cherish my gross
Linn-Mar math book until mine was
$250. Amazon is where to go for
them.”
Brock Butterfield, a 2013
graduate said, “The most simple
college classes have some meaning,
unlike a lot of high school classes.
Every college class you take is just
one step closer to your degree.”
“College is actually a really
good time. It has given me the
opportunity to meet new people and
really develop more as a student
socially and academically. Often
I am thrown into uncomfortable
situations and it really tests who
I am and what I stand for, [but]
overall I believe college gives you a
strong academic background in your
field of interest, but more than that
I believe it socially prepares you for
the real world,” said Will Stark.
“I’ve
probably
taught
myself more valuable things in
college than any class I have taken
so far,” said Linn-Mar graduate
Brandon Larson. “Going to class
and learning is such a small portion
of the big picture in college. You
go to class for a few hours a day
and then the rest of the time is up
to you with what you want to do
with it, whether it’s going back and
studying for five hours a day or
procrastinating the paper that’s due
the next day.
“A social life is also a very
important role. If you don’t make
connections with people within the
first year you will wind up bored
and most likely start bad habits
that will mess with your studies.
Substance abuse is also a big thing.
Why not get drunk every day of the
week? You have your own room
and a liquor store within a mile...
You have to find who you really
are and what makes you happy and
motivated every day. But having
fun and meeting new people also
leads to a lot of new and exciting
things. Just take a few moments to
look at what is going on around you
because time flies when you’re in
college,” said Larson.
College is where you
discover yourself--your personal
passions, beliefs, and values outside
of what your parents have instilled
in you for eighteen years. It is a huge
transition that acts as a catalyst to
achieving your goals. It is just one
more step into your education of not
just your studies, but yourself.
Along with planning where to go
to college and figuring out the financial aspect of college, deciding who
you are going to be living with is also
stressful and scary. You are going
from living with your family in the
comforts of your home to living with
a friend or possibly someone you
don’t even know, which can be very
nerve racking.
“It is hard to know when and
where to start when deciding to start
applying for a roommate. You have
to make sure you will get along with
this person and have some similarities with each other so it will be easier to live with them,” says Mariam
Ayyad, a senior at Linn-Mar High
School.
According to College Parent Central, the fear of rejection, leaving
home, finances, and the unknown
can take a toll on a person and makes
the decision even more stressful and
scary. According to the publication
College Spring, it is important to stay
confident throughout this process.
Though it may be stressful, it is important to look into your college future as soon as possible and not leave
things until the last minute. If you
procrastinate, it will create problems
with deadlines and you may not get
all the scholarships and opportunities
you had hoped for. In addition, it is
important to apply to more than one
college because you want to leave
your options open just in case you
were to have second thoughts or simply change your mind.
College is a stressful step to have
to worry about, especially for only
being a senior in high school. According to King’s College, it is crazy
thinking you are planning your entire future but you just have to trust
yourself and put in the work you need
to get there. The decisions won’t be
easy and the stress won’t be fun but
once all your decisions have been
made, it will be worth it.
And remember, every other senior
in your class is probably struggling
with the same scary feelings.
How Instagram has
ruined photography
by Phil Adams
Instagram has ruined photography. The beautiful art form of capturing moments in the world has
been destroyed because every hipster-wannbe, upper-middle class,
social-media obsessed, let’s-go-getcoffee-so-we-can-put-it-on-Twitter
teenager with a cell phone camera
thinks that every blurry photo they
take is artistic.
Being able to properly operate
a camera is a true feat of dedication, DSLR’s are highly advanced
technology that allow hundreds of
different adjustments for perfectly
executed pictures. Regardless of
equipment, there are compositional techniques involved with making good photos that are blatantly
ignored by all the #artsy photographers of the world, Wrapping a
suject in Christmas lights does not
make him or her interesting, that
picture of your coffee from directly
above has been done a billion times
in the same way by billions of peo-
ple and I swear if I see one more
picture of a plate of food, I’m going
to scream. Pictures are supposed to
give new perspective or tell stories;
a good photographer sees things in
ways that other people do not. True
photographers sometimes take the
same picture hundreds of different times until they’re happy with
it. Photography takes patience and
skill and creativity and I think it’s
time to start respecting it as an artform once again.
Everyone appreciates an impressive sketch or a beautiful
painting but the amount of respect
for a well-compsed photograph is
currently little to none among the
masses. Think of it this way: people who don’t consider themseles to
be artists don’t constantly attempt
to paint so why does the average
person think that they can take
great photographs? There’s a good
reason why cameras are expensive; the same reason construction
equipment or advanced computer
software is expensive, because they
are tools used by professionals for
the highest quality of work. Photography is a profession that is being
undermined by selfies. Things need
to change.