Arts Week (:

Today marks the beginning of Arts Week. From December 6th to the 10th, Colonel By Secondary School students interested in showcasing their artistic talents will be given the opportunity to perform for their piers at lunch time in the atrium. Students new and old to the school have been welcomed to join in on the fun. It's not only a great opportunity for students to do something they're interested in and good at, but it spreads awareness of the arts. Those that may have not performed in previous years will perhaps choose to step forward in hopes of trying something different. Considering some students who excel more in the arts may not be given the chance to showcase their talent on a regualr basis, Arts Week gives them the opportunity to show off their skills.

From poets to singers, musicians to dancers, and artists to rappers, students are given the chance to partake in something they enjoy and feel passionate about. Not to mention, the events scheduled every lunch, provide other students with a different form of entertainment than the usual. Good luck to all those performing during Arts Week. Break a leg!

Ali (: xo

Reaction to First Term Report Card Marks

     Honestly speaking, I'm not sure how others are feeling with regards to marks right now, but I'm already freaking out. Personally, Grade 12 has been a successful year so far for various reasons. Mainly, I think the reason my marks have been as high as they have been is due to the fact that we've been granted more freedom in course selections. Because I'm in classes that I enjoy, my own self-expectations are higher because I want to succeed not only academically but I feel the need to excel in things that I have cherished more than previous courses. My marks are probably the highest I've had throughout my entire High School career, and it's motivating and rewarding, however now I have higher expectations. Considering the fact that I'm already falling behind, I'm concerned that my second report card wont be as impressive or ill feel as though I failed to improve. The problem will be trying to maintain my grades and improving them. So considering my own situation, it's intimidating to think that Universities will be more focused on my second report card than my first. What if my grades drop? What if one class brings down my entire average? Of course I'm not the only one concerned, but the fact it, the programs I wish to apply too are highly competative and if I want to make it, I need any last percent that I can.

What the Heck is That Smell?

Curdled milk, vomit, body odour, or all of the above? One of the hallways at Colonel By Secondary School, smells overwhelmingly of something peculiar, intrusive and nauseating. Arriving at school early, walking down the hall towards my tech class room, when I was hit by a smell that made my stomach turn. At first, as I made my way down the hall, I suspected it was body odour. The track team happened to be in that morning, and because the weather wasn't suitable, they were using the upstairs halls as there track. So maybe someone forgot to use deoderant? Nope, that couldn't be right. The smell was far too strong. Maybe someone threw up in the garbage? Yeah, that had to be it. However, the smell didn't subside, rather it got worse, and for days rumors spread. One girl claimed it was someone's stinky gym shoes in the locker next to hers. Another rumoured that someone had spilled hot chocolate in their locker and had never bothered to clean it up. Eventually the school had to get involved and after questioning a few students who had lockers in the infected hallway, the scent was washed away and the school was back to normal.

So, what do you think the peculiar smell was?

smell ya later!

Ali (: xo

Winter!

Winter is quickly approaching, and with the sale of winter apparel and Christmas decor, people are beginning to dread the coming winter months more and more. For many, winter means having to take part in painful weekly and sometimes daily shoveling, dressing in marshmallow-like clothing in order to avoid freezing their butts off, and trying to tame staticky hair when wearing fussy mitts. No one wants to shovel and salt the driveway, wait an hour before getting into the car as it heats up, and having to clean the windows every morning before heading out onto the treacherous slippy roads in order to get to work. Others have to worry about dressing their kids appropriately for the winter months, or providing childcare for weather that sometimes results in the cancellation of school and the announcement of 'snowday'.

It almost makes me wonder if winter is something that can be associated with age. The older you get, the more you want to run away from it, the more you dread it. But growing up, it's brilliant. Making snow angels, dressing snowmen, and building forts, Not to mention sledding and skating. There's something mystical, and magical about it all.

Sure winter can be a headache for obvious reasons, but personally, winter means Christmas. The month of December holds a certain magic too it. Along with the colourful lights, familiar Christmas carols, and tinge of excitement in the air, winter is magical. It's exciting, chilly yet warm. It brings families closer, and sometimes even brings the best out of people. I'll embrace my Canadian side. Bring on winter. As long as I focus on the positive, everything else we hate about winter doesn't seem to matter as much anymore. Besides, time flies, and before you know it, spring will come.

The New KFC DOUBLE DOWN SANDWICH!!

       Okay so picture this; 2 slices of bacon, 2 slices of Montery Jack cheese and pepper jack cheese, and Colonel's Jack sauce smushed between two thick pieces of boneless white meat chicken breast. Sound good? Okay so maybe it sounds kinda apetizing, i mean honestly you'd be lieing if you weren't slightly curious to try a bite of that. But honestly speaking, we know that there's no way in hell they can call this healthy. I mean imagine what a couple of those a week would do to you.

      With 1380 to 1430 mgs of sodium, and 23 to 32 grams of fat, this could not be any healthier. Okay, obviously i'm kidding. This sandwhich is basically half of your callorie intact for the day and thats not including fries and your beverage choice. The original recipe contains around approximatly 540 calories. The sad thing is; those who decide to buy the grilled version probably believe there making a healthier choice considering it contains 'only' 460 calories. Unfortuantly it's just as bad, as it contains even more sodium then the original recipe.

    So would you sink your teeth into one of these bad boys, or would you ditch the greese and salt for a healthier option. Come to think of it, if you're choosing to eat at KFC, you're not looking for a healthy lunch or dinner in the first place, so why not?

Water - A Fundamental Personal Right or a Basic Economic Good?

     Clean drinking water is essential in order to live. Everyone is entitled to drink water, to use it i order to bathe or clean clothes or dishes. However because it is such a necessity, over the next couple of decades, the need for more water will increase greatly. Though everyone should be entitled to clean drinkable water, it is increasingly used as an economic good. Drinking water, which we should be entitled too, is bottled and packaged and sold to consumers all over the world.

     Sadly, underdevelopped countries are lacking in "filtered" water. Is it our duty as human beings to provide them with our resources? Or is it up to them to fend for themselves? There are other options, such as building wells for communties to thrive off of. To provide them with the technology and knowledge they need in order to retrieve safe water, but they are costly and time consuming.

     So, is water not a fundamental personal right? Something each indvidual should forever be entitled too? Or is it a money making gimick? A economic good bought and sold to consumers, without any other options?

Oakley Sunglasses and the Chilean Miners

      In the past week, we've seen Oakley sunglasses everywhere. What are Oakley sunglasses, you're probably wondering. Well Did you watch the news, read the newspaper or listen to the radio recently? The Chilean miners as we all know, have finally been saved from the darkness and reunited with the rest of the world. Since August, this story has captured the attention of people all around the world. Not only were family members and loved ones awaiting the return of the miners, but the rest of the world was too. If you've turned on your TV, scrolled through the most recent news headlines, or read the front page of the Citizen, it is guaranteed that you've not only come across stories describing there escape from the darkness, but there images. Around 33 men, forever chaged from there experience. However if you haven't paid much attention, you may not have noticed the sleek black glasses sported by each one of the miners.

     Oakley claims that they were approached by a Chilean Journalist who asked to supply all the miners with glasses in order to protect there eyes from the sun once they asscended back to the surface. Oakley accepted, donating 35 pairs of 'Oakley Radar path' glasses with black iridium lenses. They claim to block out 100% of all UVA/harmful blue light up too 400nm, due to the fact that the miners pupils will be dilated and at risk of further UV damage.

     Of course Oakley would accept the free publicity and advertisement. With more attention in the last 2 days than the average month, there's no reason not to be esctatic. Within the following weeks proceeding the release of the Chilean miners, the company would sell tons. People all over the world would know their name, their brand, and want a pair to call there own.