Monthly Archives: November 2018

Travel/Food

Seasonal drinks at Starbucks

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Starbucks Corporation is an American coffee company and coffeehouse chain. Starbucks was founded in Seattle, Washington, in 1971. As of 2018, the company operates 28,218 locations worldwide. Starbucks is one of the many coffee places that sell seasonal drinks, a favorite being the holiday drinks. Here is a list of the Holiday Drinks that are coming out.

  • Peppermint mocha

“A holiday classic made with our signature espresso, steamed milk, sweet mocha sauce and peppermint-flavored syrup. It’s all topped off with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls.” 

 

 

  • Caramel Brulee Latte

“Espresso, steamed milk and rich Caramel Brulee Sauce, topped with whipped cream and Caramel Brulee Topping.”

 

 

  • Chestnut Praline Latte

“Espresso, steamed milk and flavors of caramelized chestnuts and spices. Topped with whipped cream and spiced praline crumbs.”

 

 

  • Eggnog Latte

“This perennial holiday favorite is made with rich, steamed eggnog and our signature espresso. Then we top it off with a dusting of ground nutmeg for the perfect finish.”

 

 

  • Toasted White Chocolate Mocha

“Our signature espresso, steamed milk and flavors of caramelized white chocolate are finished with whipped cream and a topping of holiday sugar sparkles and crispy white pearls.”

 

  • Gingerbread Latte

“Sweet and delicately spicy gingerbread flavors mingle with our classic espresso and steamed milk and are topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg for the perfect holiday touch.”

 

 

All images taken from: https://www.starbucks.com

Review:

I’ve heard a lot of different reviews on Starbucks Holiday drinks, and some people have positive things to say, while some others don’t really like them at all.

One response that stood out to me, by someone who wanted to stay anonymous, was that the flavors that are represented in the ads, don’t really match the name of the drinks. For example, she had said that the Gingerbread Latte had “good flavor” but “did not taste like gingerbread.” She did say though, that she really enjoyed the decorations of the Starbucks cups, and that it somewhat made up for the drink flavors.

In my opinion, I understand what Starbucks is trying to do: promote the holiday season by selling seasonal drinks to get everyone in the holiday spirit. However, I do have to agree with the anonymous responder that the flavors don’t really match the drink titles very well. I have also tried the Gingerbread latte and I have to say that I really did enjoy the flavor of it, but again, felt they could’ve added a little bit more gingerbread.

Advice/How To, School Life

What to do if you are failing

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Everybody has been at that point where they have been in a class where they weren’r doing so well. It can be a discouraging, and can really put you down. I know that I have been in a position like this before, and it sucks. Here are some tips that helped me get through my struggles, and helped me pass a class with a decent grade.

Participate in class. I know that everyone has experieced that moment when a teacher has called on you and you didn’t know the answer. You can avoid all that if you just participate. That can be in a number of different ways. I know it can be very tempting to talk with your friends or use your phone, but keeping away those distractions will help you stay more focused. Taking notes and focusing on the teacher is already showing that you are participating and this will also help you stay focused and on top of what you are learning.

Always take notes. Sometimes, it can be a hassle writing down everything the teacher is writing down, and it can take up a lot of time, and taking a picture seems easier, but it is proven that writing down those notes will help you understand the material better. I know that when I take notes, going back and looking at what I wrote is a lot better than a slide show. You can make it fun by adding color to your notes so it’s more appealing to you when looking back at them.

Always study! I know that studying can be boring but studying is a really helpful tool. Without practicing what you are learning, you won’t be able to know the material as well as someone who did study. Instead of looking at a page full of notes, you can create flashcards to help you understand it more. You can even study with a friend as long as you know you guys won’t distract each other.

Talk to your teacher. Talking with your teacher will help you figure out what you need to do in order to pass at the end of the day. They are the ones that will help you the most in making sure you get the materials you need to pass the class. Talking with them will help you figure out what your next step will be.

Image taken from: https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/10/what-to-do-if-youre-failing-a-college-course/
Fashion/Make-Up

Get some lotion, before they start roasting

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Image taken from: https://safashioncart.com/dry-facial-skin/

Winter is now approaching, weather is changing, and skin is getting dry. Walking outside is a constant struggle for people with sensative skin. As the weather temperature drops, the water in your skin starts to evaporat, and this leaves your skin feeling dry and tight, giving your skin a white flaky look.

Although having dry skin can be a hasssle, there are ways around having it and giving you that sensation of smooth skin again. If you are dealing with dry skin, bring moisturizing lotion to school. Some lotions that will keep your skin moisturized during the day include brands such as: Palmers Cocoa Butter, Tree Hut Cocoanut Lime Shea Body Butter, and Cetaphil Moistirizing Cream. These brands are great for hydrating and shining your skin. If you have dry lips try Carmex; it always does the job.

Never be embarrassed for having dry skin or asking someone for lotion – everyone deals with dry skin during the winter. Being in Minnesota, a very cold climate does not make things easy for anyone. To find reasonably priced moisturizers you can go to your local Dollar Tree, Walgreens, Cub Foods, and Bath and Body Works. They have great deals and more for your bank.

Let’s start off to a good winter feeling moisturized and soft.

School Life

National History Day

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Image taken from: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/historyday

National History Day (NHD) is a contest that is held annually in which students research a historical topic pertaining to a yearly theme. It’s sponsored by a non-profit education organization based in College Park, Maryland. National History Day, orignated in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1974. It started off as local contest, then expanded quickly throughout Ohio and into the Midwestern states. It then became a national program in 1980, with millions of students participating in History Day. Others, like parents or volunteers, support the program by being contest judges, workshop presenters, mentors, and advisers to students and teachers. This year, the National History Day theme is Triumph & Tradegy in History.

Triumph is: a victory or notable success like:

  • What is being overcome?
  • What were the goals and objectives?

Tradegy is: a disastrous event like:

  • What was impacted?
  • What was harmed?
  • Was it the tragedy man made or Natural?

An example of a topic that fits this year’s theme, would be: the triangle shirt waist factory fire. It was a tradegy that lead to a triumph. Another area that would produce multiple possible topics would be slavery as it was one event, but it has multiple connections to the theme. Lastly, the sinking of the Titanic could lead to a possible topic as it was a triumph that lead to a tradegy.

To get started on History Day, here are a few tips

Step one: Choose a topic

  • Learn about this year’s history theme
  • Choose a topic that interests you and connects with the History Day theme.

Step two: Research the topic:

  • You are required to provide primary and secondary sources. A primary source is something that was created during the event and a secondary source is something created after the events.
  • Start researching Online and do a bibliography of the sources you find to keep track of them.

Step Three: Choose a history day category

  • Documenary (10 minutes long)
  • Performances (10 minutes)
  • Website (1, 200 Addition)
  • Paper (1,500 or 2,500 words)
  • Exhibit (500 words)

Step four: Work on project

  • Set time aside so you can work on your History Day project.
  • If you’re working with a partner make sure you get together outside out school to work on your project.
  • Practice what you’re going to say, so you can be ready to talk about your project.

Step five: Competitions

  • School-level competition – January 31, 2019, at Highland Park High School, St. Paul, in the cafeteria.
  • Regional Competition – March 9, 2019, at Johnson Highschool, St. Paul.
  • State Competition – University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
  • National Competition – University  of Maryland, College Park, MD.

For more information, please visit these websites:

Editorials/Student Voice, News

The risks of vaping

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Image taken from: https://www.rand.org/blog/2017/11/can-vaping-help-smokers-quit-the-real-story-from-a.html

According to theTruth.com, despite all the anti smoking campaigns used 20 years ago, in 1998, 23% of teens still smoked cigarettes. Skip ahead to 2005, and teen usage of E-cig vaping devices has increased to 16%.

Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances that is easily accessible. Nicotine mimics an acetylcholine receptor in the brain, but also reduces the number of receptors that the brain produces. The long-term brain changes caused by continued nicotine use can result in addiction.

E-cigs were originally intended for people who wanted to quit smoking cigarettes but weren’t ready to quit nicotine cold turkey. Vaping has been proven to be harmful to people in the same ways as smoking cigarettes. They might not contain the chemicals found in tobacco, but they still contain cancer causing chemicals that affect your respiratory and circulatory systems.

These 5 shocking facts about vaping might make you think twice about picking up one of these hand held smoking devices.

Nicotine from vaping can damage blood vessels. 

Vaping for even 30 minutes a day with an e-cig containing nicotine, was proven to increase stiffness in the arteries while also increasing blood pressure.

The primary ingredient in vape liquid turns into formaldehyde, a known cause of cancer, when it’s heated.

When you vape, or inhale this vapor, you are willingly exposing yourself to cancer causing chemicals.

E-cigarette companies target youth in their advertising

The companies will purposefully target youth by including themes like rebellion, independence, and sex in their advertisements. Another way they target youth is by making the vape liquid in sweet or fruity flavors.

Every month, in the U.S., more than 100 children, less than 6 years old are poisoned from ingesting vaping liquid

The colorful packaging and sweet flavors of these liquids make young children want to eat it.

E-cigs and vapes have gone unregulated by federal authorities since the ’60s. 

For more than 50 years, e-cig and vape companies didn’t have to register their products, disclose ingredients, or get approval from the FDA before selling them. They weren’t officially regulated until August 2016.

For more information, please visit: https://www.thetruth.com

Books/Art, Events

NaNoWriMo

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by: Vivian S

Image taken from: https://nanowrimo.org/press Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month

In July 1999, 21 people in the San Francisco Bay Area challenged one another to write 50,000 words in one month. Surprisingly, they found it fun and decided to continue on doing it. It has grown since then, with 394,507 people participating in 2017, in 646 regions.

National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo, is a challenge that anyone can take on to write 50,000 words of a novel in the month of November. They have a website where you can sign up and make an account, and it tracks your progress and tells you how many words you should write each day to complete that goal. With the website, you can receive pep talks from other authors, get support, meet other writers online, find out about events in your area, and all around challenge yourself. NaNoWriMo awards badges that you can earn over the month for your achievements.

Some novels written over the course of NaNoWriMo have been published and become successful. Examples include Marissa Meyer’s Cinder and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl.

NaNoWriMo is run by a non-profit organization that hosts other events as well. They have a Young Writers Program and a Camp NaNoWriMo. They used to do a script writing event, but they don’t do it any longer.

In the Young Writers Program, you can participate alone or in a classroom. You can set word count goals and work toward them. Educators can create online classrooms where they can keep track of student progress.

In April and July, Camp NaNoWriMo is hosted, and it is where you set your own word count goals and work toward them.

Even after November, you are still urged to continue to work on your NaNoWriMo novel. In January and February, they host “Now What?” months where you can work on revising and publishing your novel.

NaNoWriMo is an event that anyone can take on to put words on paper (or computer) and challenge themselves.

For more information, go to https://nanowrimo.org

National

12 people killed in California bar

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On November 8th, 2018, another mass shooting occurred at a local college bar in California. There was a total of 12 people that were shot and killed that day.

The gunman responsible for this tragedy was a 28-year-old former Marine, Ian David Long, who went by David Long. He was divorced, with no known children, or owned property. According to investigators, he used to hang around the area of the shooting often. He had a few previous run ins with the law where there was a disturbance at his home. Apparently, he was acting irrational according to police.

David Long reportedly ended his shooting spree by killing himself inside the bar.

The shooting took place at Borderline Bar & Grill, a popular bar in Thousand Oaks, California. The bar is a popular place for local college students. Police say they were surprised that this shooting took place in this city, because it is considered to be one of the safest cities in the United States.

David Long’s friends did not describe him as someone who would commit this horrific crime. One of his high school friends said, “The Ian I knew would not do this.” Another one said, “I don’t know what the hell happened.” All four friends that were interviewed clearly showed that they were surprised it was David.

Image taken from: https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/11/08/us/thousands-oaks-california-bar-shooting/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

 

Basketball, Boys Swimming/Diving, Gymnastics, Hockey

Sports schedule for: Nov 26-Dec 1

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MONDAY DATE:   Nov. 26
TIME BUS DEPART EVENT DETAILS BUS RETURN
3:30     Boys swimming and Diving starts    
         
         
         
TUESDAY DATE:   Nov. 27
TIME BUS DEPART EVENT DETAILS BUS RETURN
  3:00  Girls Basketball Game at MPLS Washburn C Squad 4PM,

JV 5:30PM,

V 7:00PM

 8:30
    Boys Hockey v Pine City @ Highland Arena JV 5:30

V 7:30

  
         
WEDNESDAY DATE:   Nov. 28

 
TIME BUS DEPART EVENT DETAILS BUS RETURN
         
         
THURSDAY DATE:   Nov 29  
TIME BUS DEPART EVENT DETAILS BUS RETURN
     Girls Basketball v MPLS Southwest @ Highland  C Squad 4:00PM

JV 5:30 PM

Varsity 7:00 PM

  
    Girls Hockey v Moose lake/Willow River @ West St. Paul JV 5:00 PM

V 7:00 PM

  
FRIDAY DATE:    Nov 30
TIME BUS DEPART EVENT DETAILS BUS RETURN
   3:00 PM  Girls Basketball v MPLS Roosevelt @ Roosevelt  C Squad 4:00 PM

JV 5:30 PM

V 7:00 PM

  8:30
  TBD  Gymnastics Preview @ North Star  5:00 PM TBD
     Boys Hockey v Waconia @ Highland  JV 5:30

V 7:30

  
SATURDAY DATE: Dec. 1
TIME BUS DEPART

10 AM

EVENT

Boys Basketball V Chaska @Chaska

 DETAILS

C Squad 11:15 AM

JV 12:30 PM

V 2:00 PM

 BUS RETURN

 

3:30 PM
   
SUNDAY  

 

Advice/How To

Holiday life hacks

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Image taken from: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/332281278728650890/

The holidays can be crazy- but don’t worry! These life hacks will help your holidays go right, and add some extra pizzazz!

#1- Holiday light storage

Sick of tangled lights? All you need to store them right is some clothing hangers. When you’re done with your lights for the season, simply wrap them on the hanger and hang them in the closet until next year.

#2- Tree sap remover

When handling a real tree, things can get pretty sticky. If you get tree sap on your hands, you can actually use toothpaste to remove it. Minty!

#3- Fluff up your fake tree

Alternatively, you can also use green tinsel to fill out your fake tree. If live greenery isn’t your thing, and your fake tree isn’t up to par, grab some green tinsel and wrap it around the inside of your artificial tree to make it a little more bushy.

#4- Gift card balance

If you’ve ever received a gift card as a present, you know that it can be a struggle trying to keep track of how much money is left on it. To fix this problem, just put a file label sticker on the gift card (not over the barcode!) and write the amount left on the card in pencil. That way, you can erase the pencil whenever you use the gift card.

#5- Wrapping paper scraps

Got small wrapping paper pieces? Instead of trying to wrap them all back on the big roll, store small bits of wrapping paper on an old toilet paper roll to keep them organized.

#6- Gift wrapping pro

This last hack is super easy, but will make your gifts look professionally wrapped. Instead of using normal tape to wrap your gifts, use double-sided tape. It will make the presents look seamless!

Travel/Food

Funyun facts

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Image taken from: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funyuns

Funyuns are a chip brand invented in 1969 by a Frito-Lay employee. That employee’s name? George Bigner. They are meant to be like onion rings with their flavoring and shape. The flavor comes from a salt and onion mix that they pour onto the chip.

Funyuns were named by Jim Albright, a professor at the University of North Texas. Funyuns were originally going to be called OnYums, but that was already a copywrited product of Rudolph Foods.

Frito-Lay chip bags used to have a “window” on the bags so you could see the food inside. Funyuns were the last chip of Frito-Lay that gave up the window. This happened in 2005.

Funyuns also had five different flavors. Original, Wasabi, Flamin’ Hot, Chile & Limón, and Steakhouse Onion. Wasabi was only a Funyun flavor from 2001 to 2002, and Steakhouse Onion was created in 2015 and was only discontinued this year. But the other three flavors are still here today!

Funyuns are made mostly from cornmeal, and then put into their ring shape from an extrusion process. As mentioned earlier, the flavor comes from a salt and onion flavor mix.

And last, a fun fact! In Brazil, Funyuns are called “Cebolitos”.