By Ian Adler
Editor-in-Chief Star Wars fans had been waiting and hoping for a continuation of the Star Wars franchise for seven years since the latest film, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. After the purchase of Lucasfilm, Star Wars’ notorious production company, by Disney in 2012, the rumors and confirmations of Episode VII spread like wildfire over the Internet, news, and Star Wars fanbase. I first took note of the reboot of Star Wars culture after shopping at Kohl’s, where a year or so ago, shelves were filled with Star Wars graphic t-shirts on sale. Now, the stock ranges from Star Wars BBQ tongs, children’s toys, and onesie pajamas. The enormous commercial market for Star Wars helps make being a “Star Wars nerd” much more appreciated. “Star Wars is back,” senior Isaiah Workinger said. “It’s prevalent and I’m excited.” The release of Episode VII is set for December 18, and already $48,000,000 was profited in the first 48 hours of ticket presales according to Statistic Brain Research Institute, including my two ticket contribution. With the series beginning in 1977, Star Wars has brought in a total of around $28,000,000,000 in revenue from all of their assets, which include toys, movies, and TV shows. In addition to the new movie, Star Wars: Battlefront was released on November 17, with gamers flocking to their local stores to pick up their copies. The game is a continuation of the popular Battlefront series that reigned over Playstations, Playstation 2’s, PC’s and Xbox’s since 2004. With all of the excitement around the new movie, we have to question, will it reach our standards? Or will “true fans” of the galaxy far, far away be left wondering, “That was it?” From the battle between armies of Jar-Jar Binks’s and poorly CGI’d droids on a grassy field, to Anakin Skywalker’s widely accepted sub-par acting abilities, and the mismatched victory of Obi-Wan over a four armed lightsaber wielding robot, Episodes I, II, and III aren’t usually seen as the highlight of the Star Wars series. “I think they were kind of bad,” senior Brian Treible said. “ There was a lot of CGI and there was unnecessary stuff in it like Jar-Jar Binks.” Personally, I don’t think that those three films were as terrible as everyone makes them out to be, but I very much understand the favoritism of Episodes IV, V, and VI. “Obviously Episode IV, V, and VI made Star Wars what it is,” Treible said. “I heard from people that were around when the first episode came out that they went to movie theatres multiple times just to watch it.” “Even though Episodes IV, V, and VI were made first, I feel like they were ahead of their time,” senior Judge Kunce said. “I like the graphics and effects. I thought they were better than those in I, II and III, even though those were more modern.” While some doubt lies in the previous letdowns of the series, many fans are quite confident the movie will impress even the strictest of critics. “I think it’s going to be really nicely done,” Treible said. “They actually have props in this one, and J.J. Abrams is good, he did the Star Trek movies.” “I am very much looking forward to the new movie,” Kunce said. “I didn’t want to study into it too much because I just want to find it all out for myself when I watch the movie.” The trailers leave lots of speculation, leaving Treible questioning “Where’s Luke? What’s Luke doing?” Luke’s face never appears in the three official trailers released, but we can hear his voice and see his hand upon R2D2. “When I watched one of the trailers, I think Luke was talking and I want to find out what’s up with that,” Kunce said. “He said something about ‘My sister has the force’, so I just want to find out when I see the movie, I’m excited for that.” We were also introduced to the new antagonist, Kylo Ren, a Darth Vader admirer who plans to “finish what you (Vader) started.” The new main protagonists include Rey, the possible daughter of Han Solo and Leia, and Finn, an ex-stormtrooper who appears to be a new member of the Rebel Army. While new characters are introduced, the original cast members also make some appearances. “They got Han Solo back, they got Chewbacca back, they got Luke back, Leia, all those good characters,” Treible said. Personally, I’ve watched the third trailer at least 20 times, and it hasn’t failed to give me chills yet. I think that the suspense the trailers leave us with is all part of the plan to entice doubtful fans, but I myself am entirely confident that the Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be one of the most thorough and impressive movies of the decade. May the force be with you all.
0 Comments
By Molly Merson Social Media Editor Apple has announced the release of the new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, with many new exquisite features that the regular iPhone 6 and 6 Plus did not include. The new device includes four microphones for improved video quality, along with a higher megapixel front-facing camera for better quality selfies. There is also a new color introduced to the sleek iPhone style. The color options consist of rose-gold, silver, gold, and space-gray. In addition to design, a stronger glass screen is now in place to reduce screen cracking or scratching. The 6S will also have a 7000 series aluminum casing, the strongest material ever used for an iPhone. “There isn’t much of a difference that I noticed, except it’s 3D now.” Junior, Stephen Tierney said. For those who spend a lot of time on the internet, the iPhone 6S now has a feature to connect to WiFi networks twice as fast as before. “It’s a lot faster, and force touch allows you to now peek into files without opening them,” Mr. Smith said. “I wouldn’t switch to any other phone.” Users now have the ability to take live photos that piece together like an animated GIF video. There are also a few exciting announcements for emoji emoticon users. The commonly used “emoji” included in the iPhone keyboard now includes a taco, unicorn, hotdog, and many other anticipated emoticons. The new phones were released September 25, 2015. By Rachel Lau
Social Media Editor It’s about that time of year again, when everyone must decide whether to buy a costume and go trick-or-treating or stay at home and watch scary movies. Many people were brought up to think that they should stop trick or treating at age 12, but not all follow that rule. Around Red Lion, age doesn’t really matter as long as you’re acting appropriate and mature. “Some municipalities are strict and require you to stop after you’ve gotten out of elementary school,” Officer Greenly said. A lot of people worry that teens will ruin the holiday because of a select few who can’t control themselves. In some places, cities have gone so far as to ban children over the age of 12 from trick-or treating. “I still go, and I’m going to be Anne Frank this year because I look like her,” said junior Alexis Ahern. At Red Lion, fifteen out of twenty-five students said they don’t go trick or treating anymore and that they either stopped when they were younger or just recently stopped in the past year. Ten out of twenty-five students said they still go out in their costumes, but not necessarily for their fun. “I only go because I go with my sister,” said junior Jack Taylor. Some students don’t want to give up part of their childhood. Everyone has grown to love it and it’s hard to let go of something where you get to dress up in your favorite superhero or princess costume. The air is still as the absent-minded class stares blankly as the period slowly slides by. What has come over this small class? The answer is senioritis, and it seems to get the best of almost all seniors this time of year. For some, however, it happens much sooner. “School just seemed to get less and less important,” Red Lion senior Jaiden Graham said. This so called “disease” is the result of students struggling to balance school, work, time with friends, and finding that perfect college and getting in. This stress can cause seniors to become lazy, acquire a dismissive attitude toward school, and often have an excessive amount of absences throughout the year. However, seniors are not the only ones affected by these huge amounts of stress. It also can be very irritating to their teachers and classmates. The lack of attention can cause a class to be very unproductive and cause lessons to drag on much longer than they normally would. “Students obtain this mindset that graduation is the end, but in reality it is the beginning of a new chapter in their lives,” Mr. Blackwell, an executive council advisor for the class of 2015 said. “Students should not become lazy when the end of their high school career is nearing its end, rather they should keep pushing and finish strong because its so close to being over.” This mindset can also have an effect on students getting into the college of their choice. What many seniors don’t realize is that this last year is very crucial for colleges. It is important to keep trying in school in order to show that you are willing to learn and that you are dedicated to finishing what you have started. Although senior year can be overwhelming, there are ways to avoid the stress and affects of this hectic period of life. Here are some tips for upcoming seniors on how to avoid senioritis and its destructive nature. Plan ahead, have a calendar were you write down deadlines and scheduled events and activities. Secondly, do not become obsessed with getting into college, just focus on what is going on right now and do what makes you happy. Also, discuss your feelings with the people close to you. If you try to make all decisions by yourself, it can be very overwhelming. It is good to see what others have to say and to be open to suggestions. Finally, make sure to have fun. After all, it is your last year here, so you may as well enjoy it. By Mike McCarty Staff Writer Girls may have trouble buying clothes, and men may have trouble deciding what new kicks they want, but everyone has trouble buying a decent car. There’s a lot to think about when buying your first car; it’s not as simple as picking out the “nicest” pair of Jordans that just came out or the “cutest” top on a clothing rack. The most important thing needed to buy a car is figuring out how to budget your money and what you can afford. This includes any down payments you may need to pay, monthly payments you might have to make, the cost of your insurance, or the cost of any customizations you may want. “If I could do anything to my car, I would love for it to all be leopard print,” senior Jennifer Hedrick said. Most teenagers would love to own and drive a brand new car for their first car. Realistically, this is not the case for many of them. Hand-me down vehicles are common amongst teenagers, and owning a pre-owned car for your first car is an excellent choice for many reasons. The big reason is that the overall cost of your car and the cost of insurance will be much lower than a brand-new or recently new model. Since you will be new to driving, the cost of repairs will be much cheaper, also. “I would rather own a pre-owned vehicle than a brand new vehicle, as long as it gets me from point A to B and back to point A. There’s no point in spending hundreds and thousands more on a brand new car just to say it’s new,” senior Gloria Maldonado said. Now, if you are buying a used car it is greatly recommended that you check the vehicles’ VIN number. When searched, the number will bring up all of the cars past information such as how many accidents it has been in, the manufacturer, car model, and more. “VIN numbers alone will tell you more about a vehicle than what any dealer will,” senior Austin Russell said. If you buy a used car from someone directly rather than a dealership it is always good to bring a mechanic with you to make sure everything runs how it should. The money spent to hire a mechanic could save you money in the long run. “First check the car’s VIN number then bring a mechanic so you don’t find any unsuspected surprises,” Russell said. Another aspect of car buying is the maker of the car and what type or model you would like to have. Many teenagers picture having a nice fast Lamborghini or Ferrari to ride around in, but we have to be realistic when it comes to car buying. Don’t try to buy anything you can’t afford. When it comes down to power versus performance, performance wins every time. The performance of the vehicle is the main focus of any car, you need something that will last. If you are wanting to spend less on gas, you should look for a nice six-cylinder engine car rather than a gas guzzling eight-cylinder. For the average teenager a good price to pay for insurance every month is between $70 and $100 for one who owns a used car. Now remember, these prices are decided on your age, occupation, type of car you drive, your driving record, and the type of coverage you buy. Everyone has their own unique style and personality which really influences the type of car you buy and want to drive. Remembering these tips can help you save buckets of cash in the long-run, which can then help you buy your dream car later down the road. By Helen Zeidman Staff Writer A table lined with multi-colored papers dominates the Career Center. These papers come in every color of the rainbow, from neon orange to fluorescent pink, advertising the latest job and volunteer opportunities. Countless posters occupy the space above the table, with even more information. All kinds of jobs, from S & S Produce employees to FedEx workers, are available and waiting to be filled by high school students. There are also many job opportunities over summer break. Summer jobs are a good way to make some saving and spending money, but there are other benefits too. “Summer jobs are setting yourself up for down the road when you need a job.” Mrs. Morris, the Career Awareness Coordinator at the high school, said. “Networking is always good.” Going for a job might be overwhelming, but Mrs. Morris, the Career Awareness Coordinator at the high school, has some tips to make the process easier. Before anyone applies for a job, they must be aware of the rules. For teenagers, this includes limited working hours. According to the Pennsylvania Child Labor Act, no one under the age of 14 can work with the exception of a few jobs. Also, students under the age of 16 can work eight hours a day, and no more than 40 work hours a week during the summer. Teenagers over the age of 16 may work 10 hours a day, but not exceed 48 hours in a week. Also, a work permit is necessary to apply to any job. “You need to bring your Social Security card and birth certificate to the ladies in the office and they will get a permit for you.” Morris said. After the paperwork is taken care of, the application process can begin. Morris’ first tip is to “do it ASAP.” College students tend to get out of school earlier, so they have more time to snatch all of the jobs. Being prepared is also very important. “Even if you are just asking for an application, dress nicely. That first impression is so important.” Morris said. “They say that people judge you in the first five seconds. You do not even have to open your mouth.” Morris also had a few tips to ace the second and third impressions. “Shake their hand. Introduce yourself. Answer honestly to the best of your ability. Thank them for their time. Ask when they will contact you.” Morris said. “The last piece is a vital piece of etiquette--write a thank-you note. It really makes you stand out.” Morris last tip is perhaps the most important. “Don’t work so hard that you can’t have fun. Summer is for rejuvenation. Remember that you are still a teenager.” |
AboutAll the latest right here! Archives
April 2018
Categories
All
|