Reflection Magazine by Norwood Mirror

The Norwood Mirrorâ&#x20AC;&#x;s News Magazine

REFLECTION ISSUE 2

Direction of the Republican party Rise of the religiously unaffiliated

WINTER

Social Media: taking over the lives of teens Football Banned Braaains

Obesity in America

Table of Contents Ashley Couch

Rocking the Decades Football Banned Braaaiins

Matt Brown

Chloe Singleton

Social Media: taking over the lives of teens Kayla Bennett

Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Friend

Addy Bryant

Rise of the Religiously Unaffiliated Elizabeth Isaac The disease called TV

David Torres

Obesity in America Hannah Hale Direction of the Republican Party John Bennett

By: Ashley Couch Over the past few decades fashion has gone through many different stages. The fashion cycle is described as a change in fashion through a long period of time. Introduction: Each season major designers like will work on a new collection. In the various styles there are different elements such as line, shape, color, and fabric. This stage may or may not be accepted by the consumers/ buyers. In fashion shows a new style is reviewed most of the time. The fashion shows will either love the new designs or throw them out. As new fashions or styles are being introduced they‟re usually set at high price values where only really wealthy people can afford. Increase in popularity: New styles are worn by celebrities or famous people and this is where many people have seen it for the

1960’s

first time. This attracts new buyers, the press, and as well as the public. Fashion magazines will have different catalogs for the newest fashions or styles, and prints for the month. Which will inspire ladies or gentlemen to get the “new look.” Here the middle class or below are adapting the new look. Normally whoever buys this fashion line will then pay a marketing company to advertise this new inspirational look to attract better or more business. Peek in popularity: At this stage the new fashions become the most popular. When production of any style is in volume, it requires mass acceptance. While manufacturers carefully and fully study the trends they will decide whether or not this will be a popular style or not. The consumer will always prefer clothes that happen to be in the stream main of fashion. This is when fashion is at the height of its popularity

and is in such demand that many manufactures produce adaptations copying the new trend. The length of this stage determines is the fashion is classic or fad.

Fashion changes but style endures. Decline in popularity. After the last production of a few older styles the people get tired of the same look so they try to spice it up. This is where the declining comes in. They will still wear this particular style but they‟re not going to want to buy them at these outrageous prices. Soon a new collection will be launched for every new season and then the popularity of the previous styles will decline. Dejection period. This is the last phase of the cycle. At this time many con-

1970’s

sumers have already hanged there look, beginning a new style. Because it is out of fashion it is called consumer obsolescence. The consumers of the once stylish fashion are no more interested so therefore manufactures stop producing the same styles. This will cause the retailers to not restock with the old styles. Through the years fashion has changed but every decade there continues to be fashion that‟s reused. Whether it‟s certain articles or style as a whole. Fashion repeats itself through the years by aspiring from the year before look. With this we continue to see fashion used from previous times clothing or a style as a whole. Fashion repeats itself through the years by aspiring from the year before look. With this we continue to see fashion used from previous times.

1980’s

1960’S The 1960’s featured a number of different trends. It was this decade that broke many fashion traditions. Designers were producing clothing more suitable for young adults. In addition to the pillbox hat women wore suits with short boxy jackets, and over-sized buttons. Simple, geometric dresses, known as shifts, were also in style. Fullskirted ball dresses were worn for the evening; these often had a low seam and had close-fitting waists. For casual wear, caprices were the fashion for women and girls. Men’s fashion was a style that was elegant and polished.

1970’S& 1980’s Fashion in the 1970s was daring, carefree, and diverse. There were many different styles and trends that continued on into

1990’s

the later years. For women, skirts ranged from extremely long to drastically short. Fabrics were bright and boldly patterned. As for men their shirts were wore tight, pants legs were wide and their moustaches were grown out long. 'Hippie' styles of dress entered the mainstream and new inspired fashion imitated styles from all corners of the world. This decade always brought a shock - whether it was towering platform shoes, huge bell-bottom flares, or tight, shiny, discoinspired hot pants

1990’s In the beginning of the early 1990s flannel became very popular. It lasted through most of the decade. This trend would continue into the 2000s. Women wore denim button down shirts, neon colors, and oversized sweatshirts. Normally the women wore pastel colors such as pink or baby blue. Men wore flannels, acid

wash denim jackets and wool sweaters.

2000’s In this era the ways of fashion were described as a “mash-up” decade. The fashions were of numerous music based subcultures such as indie pop. For the most part there was no specific style in this decade. Vintage clothing styles recycled from the 1940, 1950, and 1960. Women wore dressy, feminine styles such as denim miniskirts, Burberry hip-hop inspired sweats, ugg boots, popped collars etc. Men wore sportswear, light-colored polo shirts, white addidas, Nike trainers, cargo pants and etc.

2010 This decade was defined as a revival of interwar. This inspires looks to be recycled from the 1950’s, and 1970’s. Acid wash jeans are still in style from the 2000’s. It’s very popular in America to wear top notch brands such as Gucci, Channel, American ea-

2000’s

gle, and Nike. For women tunics, oversized cardigans, trench coats, and etc. were extremely popular. But as for men more bright elaborate tshirts are popular. As well as graphic print hoodies, Nike socks, and red or blue skinny jeans.

“You can never be over dressed.”

2010’s

Football Banned? By: Matt Brown High School F o o t b al l . Ev e r yb o d y knows the feeling when the season rolls around. The screaming crowds, cold nights, parents screaming for their kids, if so many people love it, then why is there talk of banning it? People say that football isn‟t safe because of the injuries that occur during the sport. Spinal injuries, concussions broken bones, the list goes on. The question is whether or not schools should ban the once loved sport. Paul Butler a school board member from the Dover, New Hampshire school district believes we should. “In the past 10 years, there‟s been very well-done research that has indicated that repetitive head trauma is not good for our brains, especially for the brains of children.” Says butler. He believes that football is slowing down or even stopping the development of the children‟s brains with injuries. We reach our maximal intellectual function sometime around 26 or 27. But the actual structure of the brain actually continues to grow until were about 18,

but in some cases the brain doesn‟t develop fully. One of the biggest problems he has is that the kids watch the professionals and believe that it is okay to hit someone that hard. “I think a lot of that a lot of the teaching of safe technique goes out the window when you‟re the last guy and it‟s up to you to tackle the ball carrier,” says butler. It could be the first quarter it could be the last play and a game saving touchdown at a championship game. The player is going to react instinctively not by what he is coached. Last year 13 high school football players, the most ever recorded in one yearwere left permanently disabled as a result of a football-related brain injury. In the last year 38% more kids were left permanently disabled then last year. Despite the startling numbers, football still has its fans. According to one Texas mother who has two boys that play football and have past injuries in the sport, She‟s seen her son be knocked unconscious and the diagnoses was a concussion. Even though her

kids have had concussions, which make them prone to having more, she believes that her children should be able to do what they love. She doesn‟t want to stop her kids childhoods too short. Even at the expense that they might be physically disabled for the rest of their lives. “It‟s just a chance we have to take.” She had the chance to play sports through her whole high school career and she wants to pass that same privilege down to her kids. He had to go through a series of test

before he could even go back to school. Concussion patients can‟t be presented to the light because during the time of healing the brain is also healing and lights slows the process down and hurts the patient. “It could be the difference between stopping at a red light and going through it,” says Rachel, speaking about the effects on the brain from injuries to the head.

BENEFITS FOOTBALL

Above– Norwood Indians looking intimidating as always

BENEFITS FOOTBALL

Despite the vocal critics, football has many positive influences on the body of the person training and playing it. Some of its benefits are incredibly helpful in living a healthy life. Football, as many other sports, provides exercise. If played from a young age it can help in forming a child‟s body and strength as well as developing muscle and bone structure during life. It also develops important athletic skills such as, stamina, speed, agility, strength and many more abilities needed for playing, and this sport ensures the player to be a healthy, obtaining more and more energy while

playing it. Doing something so good for you would help be less prone to be endangered by brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. According to Live Strong, adrenaline helps in stress release making those playing it calmer and healthier. Since football relies on teamwork, people playing it get to develop these important social skills through it, and are likely to use them and apply them in their own social life. Communication and bonding with teammates add on to the development of today‟s children. Planning and strategy creation abilities are explored and practiced, all which can help kids grow as a whole. Another benefit is that it teaches those playing it how to be proud of

their successes. Players are encouraged to respect the opposite team and accept one‟s own defeat and failure as a productive way of self respect and a cause to better themselves so that they can win next week. It also teaches teens about leadership. If a teen starts playing as a freshman and does his best everyday at practice, the coaches will look up to him as a leader for the team. Going to practice, weights, film and things like that is what coaches see as a leader. Seniors are the best leaders on a team because they have been through everything and the underclassmen look up to them as leaders. Teammates often become friends since they spend a lot of time on the field and they get to know each other very well

and transfer that bonding outside the field itself. The game itself helps kids make friends no matter what. It brings many different kids together, to where it‟s almost brotherly like. Just like the saying, “You mess with one of us and you get all of us.” That‟s exactly what football is about, having ones back, not letting one get hurt, if one falls down help them back up. No matter what color of their skin or where they came from, being on the football team is like having another family that you know will never let you down, no matter what. Football will always be a part of high school because of the atmosphere that surrounds it, it betters the lives of everybody that is a part of it, and it isn‟t going anywhere any time soon.

HISTORY MAKERS!! This years Norwood Indians coached by Chris Majors were the best to ever walk through these halls. The team had a record of 10-2 and a 4-0 record in their league. Some of this amazing accomplishment is due to Andrew Conover, A junior quarter back who broke Norwood's single season passing and completion record. Also Jared Peters caught 50 out of 150 pass attempts thrown by Andrew this year. Last but not least The SBAAC Player of The Year, Gabe Rice. Ran for 1121 yards on 147 attempts. But these amazing accomplishments couldn't be upheld without a great set of teammates around them. Congratulations boys!

Left: Seniors representing why they are the best!!

Right: Juniors looking stunning as always

ARE NORWOOD

Right– Freshman aren't #1 in

Left: Sophomores trying to look serious

BRAAAIINS: For the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in the face eating, walking dead monsters- zombies. So why are these terrifying creatures so popular? You might have to turn on your television so find out. After the uproar of zombies from Frank Darabont‟s comic series “The Walking Dead” took place, the next big thing was to see them on your television screen. Darabont created the television series which first premiered on October 31 of 2010, and is now in the middle of its third season. The show brings in an average of 10.9 million viewers each Sunday evening, when featured on AMC at 8pm, making in the most watched show in AMC‟s history. The series stars Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn and many others as a group of survivors during a zombie apocalypse, and the variety of struggles that the characters must overcome in order to stay alive, or to prevent becoming a zombie, or a

“walker”, themselves. The show also has received nominations for the Writers Guild of America Award, Golden Globe Award and Best Television Series Drama. The Walking Dead is arguably the most watched show on cable television. Not only is The Walking Dead a mustsee show, but it is also a must-have game. Gamers everywhere get their zombie fill out of video

THE ZOMBIE EPIDEMIC

Junior, Elizabeth Isaac (left) says, ““My favor-

ite game to kill zombies would most likely have to be Dead Island. The game is scary, and an exciting challenge!” Gamer, Senior, Max Schneider exclaims, “Left for Dead 2 is my personal favorite. It‟s so fun to kill zombies!”

The standing question remains, do people really think zombies exist? “Technically,” says

could go insane. Behavior in cows such as unusual appetite and violence could be side effects.” However another senior, Ryan Sorrell opposes, “Zombies, witches and werewolves are all one in the same. It‟s made

The picture (right) shows the cast to, “The Walking Dead”. Source: Google Images

games such as The Walking Dead, Dead Island, and Call of Duty. These games all have one objective-to kill zombies.

senior, Kathryn Patterson, “they could exist. If the dangerous Mad Cow Disease were to somehow infect humans- they

up to scare kids on Halloween- and that‟s it.” Controversy struck Americans in May of 2012, when a man was shot for “eat-

ing another man‟s face” in Miami, Florida. Rudy

Eugene, the so called “Miami Zombie”, was fatally killed at the scene of his attack on a homeless man, Ronald Poppo, 65. Eugene was found naked and biting at Poppo‟s upper lip and areas around his left eye. After being warned by officials of the Miami Police Department several times, Eugene was shot and killed. Poppo survived the brutal attack, but was left blind in both eyes. Since the incident in Miami and hit series, “The Walking Dead”, there has been a substantial increase on the controversy about the living dead. Research has even been conducted to try to

Prove and

disprove the theory of zombies- and there are some surprising facts. Recent studies show that half of the human race contains a parasite called

clude that the behavior is in fact very strange. The minds of the rats were found to be subtly altered- thus changing the behavior of the rats.

Source: Getty Images

Toxoplasma Gondii that is found in the body, and the brain. After conducting various experiments with this parasite on ratsOxford Scientists con-

But what does this mind altering parasite have anything to do with humans? According to Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, Associate Director for Labo-

ratory Research at the Stanley Medical Research Institute, people who suffer from Schizophrenia have also been linked to containing T. gondii. The parasite could in fact change a human‟s mind, and behavior- which is excellent proof of the theory of zombies. Although there is much debate about if zombies could exist, the question still remains a mystery. Senior, Quinn Webster calls the popularity of zombies an, “Awesome Zombie epidemic that is sweeping the nation.” Although many agree and disagree, zombie fanatics will just have to wait to see for themselves!

What would you do during a zombie apocalypse? Junior, Carmen Ventura: “If the zombies come, I‟m going down to my Aunt Tonya‟s house. She has guns.” Junior, Timmy Peddicord: “I would just stick with my family no matter what… plus my dad has guns.” Junior, Zach Mann “I would stock up on food, and go to my house and get my gun!”

Substitute Teacher, Mr. Riley: “I would probably just turn into a zombie– just take the easy way out.”

Social Media: taking over the lives of teens By: Kayla Bennett

Over the last two years in the United States teens have become a lot more involved in social media by using social network sites like Facebook and Twitter. Social media can be both a good and bad thing. More teens believe social media has a more positive impact then a negative one. It can affect teen‟s well-being, relationships with their friends and family, and communication. It can also become an addiction if you‟re not careful. Online social networking has both opportunities and risks. Most teens see social media more as an opportunity. Social media allows people to keep up with their friends and even make new ones. It can also help build self-esteem and confidence. Social networking can also allow people to express themselves by having their own page or profile. People can also join and support fan pages, and find out other peoples interests. As technology continues to develop, it helps people to adapt to new technologies, so they will be more prepared for advanced technology in the future. It can also help with educational development. Social

media can be used to discuss schoolwork, and hold discussions about assignments. Along with benefits, there are also risks when you‟re involved in social media. Many people don‟t realize that your personal information can be shared with the wrong crowd. People looking to cause harm to you can use your information to identify you or gain your trust by acting as if they know you and convince you to become closer with them. In order to avoid harm to yourself or others you should privatize your information on any social network accounts you have. One of the biggest problems with social media today is there is a distinctive amount of bullying. This is known as cyberbullying. Someone can start harassing you online and it could lead to offline bullying. Cyberbullying can cause a high amount of emotional harm like depression, anger, violence and even suicide. Another risk of social networking that many people fail to realize is once your information has been

shared on the internet it is out there FOREVER! Once another person has figured out your information, it is nearly impossible to get that information back without any harm being done. Another risk is disclosure. This is when you give out information that you later give a second thought and you realize you shouldn‟t disclosed of that information. When it comes to youth with disabilities, social networking can benefit them by opening a completely new world of

communication and giving them a chance to express themselves. It can also help them by teaching them to not fear rejection that they might experience in real life. Youth with disabilities can also be more willing to ask for help online then in face-to-face situations. Social networking also allows people who have problems with social skills socialize anonymously, and develop friendships. Social media can also present many risks for youth with disabilities by making them feel left out even more than they already do; which can

Senior Matt Brown applying his knowledge of technology to check Facebook on his phone.

lead to depression and loneliness. It can also cause unintended disclosure by posting pictures or becoming a fan of disability support groups. One of the main uses for social media is communication: texting, IMing, or e-mail. A recent survey from Common Sense Media, found among 13-17 year olds 49% say their favorite way to communicate with friends is in person. They also discovered among 13-17 year olds 82% have their own cell phone. Cell phones can be used for a lot more than talking and texting. As technology has continued to advance, teens are getting iPods, I Pads, and other devices to access social media sites. These devices can become a major distraction to your schoolwork or chores, but they are also a way for people to stay connected with friends

and family. Some people have let social networking begin to take over their lives, and are on the internet up to 6 hours a day. In many cases, especially teens, social networking has become an addiction. People get so distracted and interested in what is going on in front of them; they begin to slack off in school because they avoid doing homework or studying for that big test tomorrow. What most people don‟t realize is that there hasn‟t always been a Facebook or cell phones, and kids used to play outside or ride bikes. Social media has begun to take life out of people in the sense of getting out of the house instead of sitting in front of a screen for hours a day. Social networking has become so involved in

people‟s lives that they can‟t put down their cell phone or iPod during school or while hanging out with their friends. Hanging out with friends used to be riding bikes or going to the park. Now it‟s all about playing on the computer, another device or game system. In a different survey by Common Sense Media, 13-17 year olds reported 14% strongly agree and 31% somewhat agree with the statement: I get frustrated with friends for texting or social networking when they are supposed to be hanging out. Many teens often don‟t think of how much social networking can affect their future lives. When people post comments, pictures or statuses on Facebook, or other media sites, it‟s important to remember that the information is going out there for the world to see. Even if the account is

set to private there are other ways people can find out your information. If you post inappropriate or threatening things, you can be blocked from using that site ever again. You especially need to realize if you threaten somebody online you can get in a lot of trouble with your school, parents, or even the police. Social media has become a big part of people‟s lives, especially teens. Even though social media is a way of communicating with friends and family, people fail to realize how big of an impact it really has. So next time you get in front of the screen think before you post anything, and be aware of consequences you can face if you abuse the internet.

Did You Know? 63% of teen internet users go online every day 86% of social network-using teens comment on a friend's wall 58% send IM or text messages using the site 83% comment on friends pictures 66% send private messages to friends Source: toptenreviews.com

Man’s

Best Friend By: Addison Bryant Man‟s best friend-or so dogs and other pets have been referred to for years. What is it about animals people fine so deeply enchanting, forcing them to make emotional connections that can be stronger than human ones? The answer dates back to our primitive ancestors. The mere fact that humans domesticate other animals sets them apart from other mammals. According to Scientific American, Homosaphiens used animals as a living too. Dogs hunted down prey while other animals were a source of fur and food. Hu-

mans needed to form a meaningful connection with animals in order to understand them fully. This blossoms into alloparenting, cross species almost

raise chemical levels that reduce stress.”

suggested by the serotype of an obsessive old cat lady. It‟s inarguable the benefits pets offer, but there are some downsides. Diseases like measles come from pigs, mumps from poultry, tuberculosis from cattle, and the common cold from horses as told by research done by Scientific America.

having a paternal connection with another, that we have today. Animals provide the social interaction people depend on. These can even replace interactions with other humans, as

As cute are puppies and kitty cats are, they„re even more health benefits to keeping them around. Studies have shown that owning a pet decreases the level of stress a person experiences; stress that can cause high blood pressure, anxiety, heart

“According to WebMD, simple interactions with any animal can

problems, and depression. How can a small creature do so much? This all lies in the personal connection to said animal. They‟re a comfort object, one thing that is completely and totally dependent on the owner. They have a mind of their own to delve into their own little antics, entertaining onlookers for hours. According to WebMD, simple interactions with any animal can raise chemical levels that reduce stress. These chemicals are called serotonin and dopamine, the same chemicals that people aim to raise while taking heroin and cocaine- the difference between hardcore drugs and play-

Thirteen year old Australian Shepherd, Zoe.

One of history teacher Rebecca Saylers three babies. Phoebe is a five year old yorkiepoo.

Three year old Westie-mix, Lenny.

Source: Google images

ing fetch with a puppy being is a whole lot healthier and a more natural way to raise these chemical levels. One of the concerns while owning a pet is allergies. What‟s the point of cuddling a puppy if you only end up with bloodshot eyes and the inability to breath? But despite what some may think, owning a pet as an in fact actually reduces the chance of having pet allergies. In a study done by WebMD, 33% fewer children developed allergies. It‟s not only allergies that animals can help prevent but eczema, which is a skin disorder that causes scaly and itchy rashes. Interacting with animals early builds up a strong immune system to fight conditions like those. Not only do pets warm the heart, but they benefit it. A test of 240 married couples, showed pet owners had lower heart rates and blood pressure than non pet owners. This decreases the risk of having a heart attack. For unknown reasons, cats in particular lower the risk of a person dying from a heart attack by 40%. Pets can also be trained for specific health related purposes. Some dogs are able to detect a drop in glucose in diabetic patients. They will alert the diabetic with loud barking. It‟s believed that one in three dogs who live with a diabetic have this ability.

The dog breed, Xolo, is used for people with chronic pain because they radiate an intense body heat.

Dogs can also be trained to alert those who have epilepsy or any other disorder that causes seizures. Not every dog seen with a person is a Seeing Eye dog, they have other uses too. In the case that a person starts seizing, the dog will lay over their body to prevent any damage to them. There are some species of dog that don‟t even have to be trained to be put to good use. Xolo, a small hairless dog breed, is known for the intense body heat it radiates. Patients with chronic pain can put them where it hurts to ease the symptoms they experience. The dogs have been known to wrap themselves around their owner‟s neck-a real, live heating pad. Pets have also been used in different types of therapy. They can reflect their current environment and give people a reality check. WebMD discusses a couple who were arguing back and forth during a couple‟s therapy session. A dog,

trying to sleep, eventually got fed up and left the room. The therapist used this as an example of how their children probably feel around them. Animals can also be used for other types of therapy. Children with autism can benefit from using horses and dogs to help deal with sensory issues, making them accustomed to the way things feel. Pets offer not only companionship, but there‟s scientific proof they benefit their owners. From using animals as a simple tool, to becoming a person‟s best friend, these furry critters have come a long way.

To Have Pets or Not? One of the most debated topics today among animal lovers is whether or not owning a pet is even ethical. Some go far enough to compare owning a pet to modern day slavery, while others believe pets have the same status as a family member. PETA argues that owning animals restricts them to a life indoors. People control their liveswhen they eat, sleep, and even use the bathroom. This forces pets to be co-dependent on people for their survival. Instead of running wild in their natural environment, they have no choice but to spend hours indoors, sometimes unattended and without entertainment for hours. There are many others who consider pet ownership a two way street. The unconditional love and devotion is shared between a person and animal. The Humane Society explains, “Pets are creatures with whom we share a world, and we rejoice in their companionship. You don‟t have to anthropomorphize to recognize that the feelings are returned. If we are wise enough to see, they teach us about humility and empathy and loyalty. Their eyes hold the spark of life, the same as ours.” Their basic argument is that animals have feelings too, and appreciate our company as much as we do theirs. If pets had their say, they would use the term companionship over ownership. A more scientific approach to this debate is that animals are like any other creature and their main goal is their survival. Humans provide that for them, no anthropomorphizing involved. Anthropomorphize involves giving animals human characteristic. When your dog tears up the garbage, the guilty look in their eye isn‟t because they feel remorseful. They take cues from their owner‟s body language and respond accordingly. This doesn‟t take away from any of the devotion they feel for their owner.

Rise of the Religiously Unaffiliated By Elizabeth Isaac

Religion provides mental health benefits, spiritual growth, friendship, and the strength to carry on through hard times. With over 20 major religions to choose from why are there people who decide to go unaffiliated? Dictionary.com defines religious affiliation as the self-identified association of a person with a religion, denomination or sub -denominational religious group. Thus religion unaffiliation is the exact opposite and includes atheism and agnosticism. Atheism is the lack of belief in God or of active disbelief in God. Agnosticism can be broken down into two subgroups, agnostic-theism and agnostic-atheism. An agnostic theist believes in the existence of God but His existence is unknowable, and cannot be proven or disproven. Alternatively an agnostic atheist does not believe in God and, the same as an agnostic theist, His existence cannot be proven or disproven. Although a person may not be associated with a religion, many religiously unaffiliated people believe in God. These people may not be religious but they are certainly spiritual. Instead

of practicing an organized religion a spiritual person would enjoy going all Thoreau in the woods, taking a meditation class, or simply relaxing as they ponder life‟s many unanswerable questions. According to The Pew Forum, one in five American adults, 20 percent of the population, now identify as religiously unaffiliated. 78.4 percent of Americans identify as Christian which includes the sub-groups of Protestant, Mormon, Jehovah‟s Witness, and Orthodox. Religious unaffiliation is at an all time high, but still represents a minority of Americans. While there are unaffiliated people across all age groups and races, young people have seen the most decline in religion and Asians are the ethnic group that is more often to be unaffiliated. Hispanics are about as likely as African Americans to say that they are unaffiliated but the percentage remains low at 2 percent. White people make up the largest percentage of religiously unaffiliated Americans at a staggering 16 percent. The staggering rate of decline in affiliation begs a simple question: why? Why would someone

choose to isolate themselves from church, a place that is dear in the hearts of many? The answer is rather complex and varies from person to person. In a 2009 survey by christianpost.com, 71 percent of Catholics who are now unaffiliated said they gradually drifted away from their religion. Many unaffiliated adults accredit science to the decline of their religious views, saying that science disproves religion. The survey also pointed out

that the cynics of this group believe that religious people are hypocritical, judgmental, and insecure. The choice to become unaffiliated is one that is very personal and involves a deep reflection of one‟s self. This decision should not be made lightly and without thought as religion is the guiding light in the lives of many. When choosing unaffiliation people must find a new light, being stuck in the dark is no way of living.

There has been a rise in the religiously unaffiliated though Christians remain the majority in America.

“If there isn‟t evidence to believe in something, then you probably shouldn‟t believe it.”

“You shouldn‟t have to rely on a God to make all your dreams come true for you. You should work hard and do it yourself.” The nagging question returns: Why would someone choose to be unaffiliated? The simple answer is everyone is different, and religion is simply not as important to some people as it is to others. That‟s not to say that every unaffiliated person completely forsakes religion. Junior Biagia Schirmer describes herself as an agnostic- theist, and her belief in God is very much intact. Although she is unaffiliated, she does not distance herself from God; she simply does not attend church. “Looking at history, I don‟t believe there is any love for God in organized churches,” reasons Schirmer. She explains that she prays on her own time without the aid of a church. Senior Paige Gearhart is an agnostic to the core, neither believing nor disbelieving God. She doesn‟t distance herself

from religion but doesn‟t actively pray or attend church saying she “never found a need to.” Of the subsections of religious unaffiliation, atheism falls on the furthest end of the spectrum. By definition atheists have no religion in their lives because the lack of faith cannot be described as a faith. Philosophical views aside, atheists tend to be the most outspoken of the unaffiliated and can clearly vocalize their beliefs. Junior Aaron Barger uses reason to guide his life and explains, “If there isn‟t evidence to believe in something, then you probably shouldn‟t believe it.” Senior Sean Clark follows the same line of thinking as Barger saying that “science just makes more sense.” On a different note, Senior Matilde Revelli believes that a person‟s future lies in

their own hands. “I don‟t think there is an entity that decides our destiny,” she states. Junior Sara Isaac has similar views stating, “You shouldn‟t have to rely on a God to make all your dreams come true for you. You should work hard and do it yourself.” Agnostics and atheists have been looked down upon throughout history and were even one of the groups persecuted in the Holocaust. This all boils down to that fact of God‟s existence is now becoming more of an opinion. As more and more people question their beliefs in an almighty deity, the believers may feel they are being questioned as well. Atheism/agnosticism is a personal choice and religious people should not feel intimidated by people with those affiliations. Junior Becca Galligan is involved

in volunteer organizations, helps her dad lead the electronics club, and is always bright and cheery. Little do many people know, she is also an atheist. Galligan has been labeled as a bad person for her lack of religion by some people and wants everyone to know that being unaffiliated isn‟t a negative thing. “You don‟t need God if you have good morals,” Galligan explains. She is living proof that a person can be good without God. Whether you are religiously affiliated or not, most people‟s moral compasses would not promote hatred. Even though we‟re all different we‟ll live more happily in a world where respect is the primary goal.

The disease called TV! <-Source Google Images By: David Torres

credited for having invented the television because Zworykin had the patent for the heart of the television called the iconoscope which was an electronic image scanner (essentially a primitive

Like many things, the Television wasn‟t invented by just one person; it was formed from a group of ideas and innovation that led to the creation of television scanner.) the televisions we see now. It has gone from a source of news, to a popular form of entertainment. Just when did it become popular? It is almost the end of 2012; we see flat screens that are over 75 inches. But have you ever wondered what it took to get to this point? According to Physlink it all started with the idea of transmitting images and sound wirelessly. This started around 1897 when the inventor Marconi had invented Wireless telegraphy. Many brilliant minds worked on the idea of sending images and sounds wirelessly for years to

very long until a few major events happened in the United States, the assassination of John F Kennedy, protests for woman‟s rights, and the anti-war protests of the Vietnam Modern day television

war. Television in the 1960s was an agent of con-

Source: Google Images

formity and rebellion.

The first sets of “real” televisions came out around the year of 1920, but it didn‟t take off to the public until 1942, because so much atten-

tion was on World War II. According to History the boom came around the year 1949 when 940,000 sets had Dr. Vladimir Kosma been sold nationwide to 1953 Zworykin with an iconoscope when that number soared up 1846 to 20 million. Many corporaSource: Lab Guys World tions of that time sponsored full length shows in exchange for being able to put their advertisement in the show, much like today except that now we have more advertisements, for a shorter span than at that time, where ads could vary from 30 seconds to a full min-

come. But it wasn‟t until Vladimir Kosma Zworykin An old television from the 70s, a Russian born American try playing video games on inventor for Westinghouse this. Source: Getty Images came along. He is usually

In America, there was an estimated 5,000 television sets sold after World War II as compared to now where we have over 20 million units in the United States. So what has changed? One of the most notable changes was the conversion of black and white to color television. But also the amount of shows that there are has also changed. Now with popular shows like The Walking Dead and Jersey Shore, it has been estimated that most Americans spend around 4 hours a day watching television. Another big change that has affected the television is the price of a set and the popularity of cable television.

ute. According to History “television excluded diversity The television is among and elevated consumerism other appliances one of the into a national obsession.” most used pieces of techTelevision shows didn‟t last nologies. It can be used to watch the news,

play video games, or even watch movies. Unfortunately it seems like the amount of time that people watch television has increased, according to Weird Facts the average American family has their television on seven hours or more. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x;s almost the same amount of time that we spend in school. And another survey from Statistic Brain claims that the average child watches up to 1,200 hours of television a year, and attends school for 900 hours a year. Also according to Statistic Brain, 49% of Americans surveyed believe that they watch too much television. When children were asked to choose between watching TV and spending time with their fathers, 54% percent of the children said they would rather watch television. You may think that television is great for everyone but according to Statistic Brain the typical child will see approximately 16,000 commercials in a year and will have seen about 150,000 violent acts by the time they are eighteen. This may lead many people to believe that television is the leading cause of violence in our society. The younger children are those who are most influenced by what they see. If you put them in front of the television for hours on end because it entertains

them then chances are that they will become more and more like what they see on television. Violence is in many programs, even in cartoons. For example Tom and Jerry is a show about a cat trying to eat a mouse and they do all crazy sorts of shenanigans and according to the Zur Institute cartoons are what have the most violence and although not graphic still has violent acts. The Surgeon General also agrees that television and violence is connected to children who view violent television shows.

Violent acts in a children's television show such as Tom & Jerry have been cited as a source for the rise in violence. Source: Boomerang TV With the rise of television viewing also comes a rise in weight gain. According to the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) studies show that the longer a child watches television per

day the higher the chance they have of gaining weight. They have also found that children aged 6-10 who have their own television set are also more likely to gain weight than those children who do not have a television in their own rooms. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x;t just true for children though, many studies by the HSPH have also shown that the longer a person watches television the higher the chance of gaining weight. Researchers have hypothesized that watching television promotes weight gain in several ways, for one is displaces time for physical activities, gives more opportunities to eat unhealthy snacks, and it even interferes with sleep. A study also showed that children who watched cartoons with television advertisements of food were 45% more inclined to eat unhealthy snacks. With all the pros and cons it would be very hard to argue for just one side. Television has aided but it has also hindered advancement. It makes us more aware but less physically active. It informs us but also makes us violent. But now television is like part of the family, and most people find that they canâ&#x20AC;&#x;t find something to do without it and often times become bored of it.

54% of children would rather watch television than spend time with their parents. The average American watches up to 4 hours of television a day. 99% of Americans own a television. 56 % of Americans pay for cable. 70% of daycares use television in a typical day. The average child has watched over 150,000 violent acts by the time they are 18. 30% of news broadcast time is devoted to advertising. 2,888 out of 3,000 studies show that TV violence is a casual factor in real-life mayhem. On average, children ages 2-5 spend 32 hours a week in front of a TV Between 1980 and 2000, obesity rates do ubl ed a mo n g adults. About 60 million adults, or 30% of the adult population, are now obese.

Obesity In

America By: Hannah Hale Americans generally look to food for a source of gratification. We want it full of flavor, we want it inexpensive and we want it prepared now! To meet this demand, American fast food chains pump their food full of sugar, salt, hydrogenated oils, saturated fats, preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors, and a bunch of strange, unpronounceable chemicals that you would never think of putting in your mouth if you saw them in their preprocessed state. These additives and preservatives often substitute all the nutrients and fiber that are removed from the original food source. Even though processed food might be yummy, it essentially lacks all the valuable nutrients needed to nourish the body, maintain blood sugar levels, and ensure proper digestion. In addition, the chemicals and synthetic ingredients found in many processed foods are unknown to the

body. The body stores anything that it canâ&#x20AC;&#x;t process, most often ending up in fat tissue. Scientists have considered that this process may contribute to obesity. Calories that have no nutritional value, such as those found in sugary soda and many fried foods are called â&#x20AC;&#x153;empty calories.â&#x20AC;? Empty calorie foods are quickly broken down, causing blood sugar levels to spike. As a result, the body secretes insulin which leads to hunger signals. This causes you to eat more at your next meal. Researchers suggest that these types of foods may be a con-

Source: gettyimages

tributing factor to our obesity epidemic. The irony is that for every dollar we spend on fast food, and every second we save at a drive-through, over a lifetime we put ourselves at serious risk. These risks include huge medical costs and an overall loss of productivity due to illness and premature death that are caused from diet-related illnesses linked to a meat-based diet that includes highly processed foods loaded with fats and artificial ingredients. The rates of other chronic health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and high

blood pressure are shocking. According to an article published by Medical Technologist Caitlin Rose, in 20042005, 60% of all Americans had at least one chronic health condition, 26% suffered from two or more chronic health conditions, and after age 55, those percentages rose to 78% and 47% respectively. All of these conditions as well as stroke, depression, arthritis, and many others are complications of obesity. In other words, if you are overweight, you have an increased likelihood of also developing other chronic health problems. Thirty years ago, most people led lives that kept them at a healthy weight. Kids walked to and from school every day, ran around at recess, participated in gym class, and played for hours after school before dinner. Meals were home-cooked with reasonable portion sizes and there was always a vegetable

on the plate. Eating fast food was rare and snacking between meals was an occasional treat. The documentary film, Supersize Me, is a well known production due to that fact that Morgan Spurlock did something that most people nowadays wouldn‟t find a problem with. He ate McDonalds‟ for all three meals of the day for a month, and tried at least one item on the menu once. The results, some would say, aren‟t surprising. Spurlock gained 24.5 lbs, a cholesterol level of 230, a 13% body mass increase, and experienced mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and fat accumulation in his liver. It took Spurlock fourteen months to lose the weight he gained from his experiment using a vegan diet supervised by his fiancé who is a specialized

gourmet vegan chef. Supersize Me is showed in health classes across America and can even be found in our very own health room. Health teachers are showing this to their students to express one very important topic: Being overweight can kill you. America‟s first lady, Michelle Obama, is another advocate of a healthy lifestyle. If students are asking why their cookies, greasy pizza, and soda has vanished from the lunch room the likely answer points to Obama‟s health plan. Like it or not, she has changed the school lunch menus across America. Mrs. Obama has made the average school lunch to stay below 850 calories per meal. The policy, which was intended to not only wipe out hunger and malnutrition among American students but to encourage healthy eating, also calls for more fruit and vegeta-

bles and fewer sweet and fatty foods. There were many mixed feelings about the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. This is the act implemented by the First Lady which allows the USDA to regulate school lunches and ultimately decide exactly how many calories and other nutritional facts are put into each school lunch. In a four-minute YouTube video called "We Are Hungry," a group of Kansas high schoolers take on the restrictions mandated by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. In this video, the teens act as though they are withering away to nothing because they did not eat enough food for lunch. The video also displays teens at their practice falling over because they only consumed 850 calories that day. While some

believe that this restriction is going too far, One might wonder how to stay healthy in such an unhealthy country. The answer to this question is to think before you eat. Health is something that everyone can control and most people know what is healthy and what is not. Temptation and instant gratification are the main reasons why people struggle with their weight. Most understand that vegetables are good and candy bars are bad but how to control yourself in over indulging in these items can be the difference between obesity and fitness.

Despite a close race, the question is what will the Republican Party do now that they lost the 2012 presidential election and two seats in Congress? Many media sources such as New York Times says the main reason for the loss of the election by the Republican Party is demographics, which does play a vital role, but like anything else the problem cannot be blamed on a single thing. Groups that are normally Republican are now a social minority compared to the vast numbers of people who would normally lean Democratic. Your normal everyday Republican is usually older, male, and lives in a rural setting, which is currently a low percentage of the people living in the United States. Democrats, however, usually consist of women, younger people, and ethnic minorities which played a huge role in Obama‟s victories. When you add all those together, they actually become the majority of this country. Another interesting statistic is that older people

Source: Google Images

vote more frequently then young people, but older people usually vote Republican. This is due to the Baby Boomers who are currently the dominating older generation but are very liberal so also contributed to a Democratic victory. Another vital aspect of this campaign is a candidate‟s appearance. This is as simple as a candidate‟s physical appearance and the public opinion of it. One aspect that Obama certainly trumps Romney is in looking the part. Beginning with Obama‟s physical appearance, you would see him at conventions and rallies wearing a tailored suite and sporting a winning smile. Romney, on the other hand, would sometimes wear a simple dress shirt and blue jeans to appeal to the more simplistic lifestyles of the members of the Republican Party. According to strategists this is why Romney took a big hit in the polls with women and younger people are just for simple things such as physical appearance.

Source: Google Images

Another big booster for Obama in the polls was the recent disaster of hurricane Sandy. With the disaster hitting the East Coast, an area with a large Liberal population, Obama came rushing to the scene to show his support for the relief effort appearing wherever he could in front of the cameras. In addition to this Chris Christie, the Republican Governor of New Jersey, praised Obama for how quickly he responded to the relief effort which caused

ments. Romney called for an overhaul of the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid systems which a lot of people did not agree with causing another, possibly fatal hit for the Romney campaign. The Republican Party can at times seem a little harsh in what they are doing so what they need to do is appeal to a wider range of people and more moderates instead of just

major controversy in the Republican Party. Romney did make an effort to attempt to support the relief effort by changing one of his rallies to a relief rally instead, but considering he would not receive much of a boost from the relief effort he stayed on the campaign trail in Ohio. The final position that led to an Obama victory was Romney‟s and his running mate‟s view on entitle-

the extremely right wing Conservatives. The first group that the Republican Party needs to appeal to is the younger generation. When people think of the current Republican politicians, people think of some grumpy old man who has been in politics or business for a large majority of their lives. With this kind of image

there is very little appeal to the younger generation. What the Republican Party needs is to have more experienced, young Republican, politicians such as Ryan in the recent election. With more young Republicans in the news media, there is a greater appeal to the younger generations who are really still deciding what their values are. As for more young Republicans getting out and becoming more active, the party will have younger politicians to relate to. Even though there are a lot of older Republican candidates now, they cannot last forever, so in the near future there will be a wave of younger Republicans to take their place. Besides just Ryan, in the 2012 primary there was Rick Santorum who appealed to a lot of younger people and women compare to his colleagues that were running with him. Even locally, and all over Ohio, there have been a large number of candidates on the Republican ticket who are very young compared to some of their much older colleagues. According to the New York Post, the majority of the new politicians coming are Republican which could mean a greater appeal to young people, and a boost in the polls.

Source: Google Images

A second group that the Republican Party needs to appeal to more is women. Yet again this is because of the candidate appeal. Even though there are Republican women who are currently in Congress and politics, it is not nearly as many as the Democratic Party. Strategists suggest the Republican Party appeals to more to men than women because of views on abortion and war. Women are one group where the Republican party is likely to see some increases in the number of women, but will not see very large numbers because how hard it is for some women to relate to the party ideals. The final aspect is present in both parties and is the extreme views of some of the candidates. Both party lines identify much more with very liberal or conservative ideals without many moderate viewpoints. Since a majority of the country does identify themselves as moderate both parties would benefit themselves if they identified with more moderate ideals to attract more people throughout the entire country no matter what demographics someone is characterized as.

Source: Google Images