Clear Waters in the Future

It's a beautiful peaceful day. The water is clear blue and calm. Fish, sea turtles and other marine life swim about happily and care free. All of the sudden the world is spun into chaos. Mayhem disturbs the water causing it to churn and sea life to scatter, helplessly swimming for shelter or a place to hide. A murky substance erupts from the great above, causing a bleak pit of despair and to some, the world collapses entirely.

Everyday, the world is being changed by us, the humans. And everyday, our carbon footprint expands deeper and wider. This April, we took things to the next level by altering our waters forever by a man made catastrophe that we can only take the blame for. The source, oil.

Last month, we committed a massive crime against our oceans by accidentally spilling more than 400, 000 gallons of crude oil into one of our most valuable natural resources, water. By doing so, we have now endangered thousands of feet of water and hundreds of species are now vulnerable, all from oil.

Oil spills are seriously dangerous. They can destroy the most beautiful coral reefs, disrupt schools of fish, attack innocent birds and wreck the natural way of life. And of course when the circle of life is broken everything can fall apart quite easily, but yet, all of this can happen from one mistake that we now must fix.

Oil, may not seem like a big deal to anyone. It's just something we put in our cars to make them go. But for other creatures, not necessarily humans, that may find that it might be the difference between life or death. It can suffocate them as they struggle to hold on to life and it can destroy their homes, leaving them homeless and completely out in the open.

But there is hopefully a brighter future coming our way. As you are reading this, teams of workers are working to help clean up the spill and help out some of the wild life stuck in this mess. Our waters will never be the same thanks to this oil spill, but perhaps we might be able to save most of our living creatures that live in the sea. This might be the worst oil spill yet, but only if we make it so. So here's to the hope for clear waters in the future and beyond.

Commented on: Alex G's Post! :)

Justin Jackson?

Justin Beiber is a kid with amazing talents that have wowed the world simply from his youtube videos. If you think about it, it's actually quite extraordinary. Any kid that's gotten as famous as he has in very little time must have some talent, although looks also play a part in becoming a celebrity. But, many people disagree saying that he is a horrible singer and has a very "girlish" voice that destroys his singing ability. And then there are the people that love him so much, that they compare him to one of the legends of music, the king of pop himself, Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson worked hard for the many, many years when he was in the music industry, bringing all the latest and greatest hits to the world. He lasted for many new eras of music always finding a way to change and bring music to a new level of greatness. That, is what makes MJ a legend and THE king of pop. In my mind there can ever only be one seat, and that one is already taken by a person who fully deserves it.

Justin Beiber on the other hand is quite new to the world of music, having only created a couple of albums and a few hit singles, unlike Michael Jackson who had created hundreds of hits. But, I do agree, Justin is a very talented singer who can inspire many. So for now, I can't stand to give him the title of king of pop. He just doesn't stack up to MJ at this point. Maybe in 10 or 15 years then we can see if he's still holding up and can finally compare him to Jackson.

Justin vs. Michael. I would have to say Michael at the moment. In time my mind may change but for now the answer is clear, MJ just has so many more years of singing under his belt. But I think that Justin could definitely qualify for another title. Maybe, youngest pop sensation? But for right now, no, I would not say that Justin Beiber deserves to be called the king of pop. The question is, can he survive just as many years as MJ? We'll just have to wait and see how he unfolds as a truly inspiring artist.

Commented on: Emily V's Post - Gainers

Uniforms?

You wake up. Oh, shoot, you slept through your alarm, again! Only 10 minutes to get ready and head out the door. You spring out of your bed and land heavily on the carpeted floor, running to your closet you start digging through your clothes. You randomly stick your hand in and grab a tee shirt and then search for your favourite pair of skinny jeans. Making a messy pile of disarranged pants in your closet you remember that your jeans have to be washed, guess your not wearing those today... Deciding to go for an semi-okayish pair of sweat pants you leap down the last few stairs and grab an apple from the table and head out the door. By the time you get to school, you're late, you notice that your pants and your shirt do not match and that you are probably wearing the most ugliest outfit you have ever seen in your entire life. That's life without an organized uniform to help you in the morning.

A grey kilt, white shirt, navy sweater and a blue, yellow and red striped tie. That is our uniform. Consider wearing just one outfit for quite a few years of your life, it just gets boring after a couple of weeks. But then there are the pros, like in the morning not rushing trying to figure out what to wear. Uniforms are... well they're both good and bad. It's hard to say.

Bad news, uniforms are just not what most people would call fashion forward or a 'do' in the fashion world. They're just not flattering on most people and are dull colours such as grey, navy and white. Most teenagers would not be caught in something like this at all on a weekend because uniforms are pretty much the opposite of comfy. They are stiff, pressed, and made out of materials that are not soft and snugly.

One last thing that makes uniforms okay are that they give people the sense of equality. Everyone is deemed equal. No one has the most expensive shirt, or the most trendy designer jeans. Everyone fits in. But is that enough to make uniforms okay to wear every single day of the school year??? Once again I'm stumped on what to say, split evenly on a fine line.

Uniforms have many pros and cons to them. I think it certainly makes mornings much more easier, but then there's the sacrifice of comfort and style. I think that it's all opinion. Does the comfort and style just cross the line for you? Or can you survive just for those mornings? In the end, are uniforms ultimately in for the better or worse? What do you think?

Commented on: Fiona's Blog Post! :)

One Eye Open, Another Shut.

World hunger. You're probably thinking about some small kid in Africa who's ribs and bones are poking out. Well it's true there are some African children starving from lack of food but what your not thinking of is what's happening locally. It's like you're looking through one eye with the other one squinted, almost shut. You're fully aware and focused on one side of the story but the other half is all blurry. You know that hunger is happening wherever you live you just decide on focusing on the more open eyes view.

Something that strikes me is that there are so many people that are dying. It's worse than a disease and it can wipe out millions at a time. If you can compare it, it's like 300 jumbo jets, completely full, crashing with no survivors everyday! That's how many people die. It's unbelievable to think that so many people are dying because they are lacking something that almost everyone takes for granted. Food.

Most people have food. It's essential to all human beings that want to survive. It's amazing how much is wasted, yet so many people are starving in other countries and would think that they would be lucky to have your table scraps. Not just people over seas though. It's also that person that you always see begging on the streets for money and who lives in a cardboard box. Sometimes they don't even get a meal, so they take what they can get, and sometimes that's nothing...

Sometimes it's hard to open the other eye, because it hits so close to home, but it's just as important. Be grateful for everything you have because a lot of people would kill to live like you. So I challenge you to attempt to open your second eye, and to see the second half of the story. You never know, it might just spark your mind.

Commented on: Lauren's Post! :)

Face-Obsession

It's like smoking or drugs. Once you start it can become hard to stop. It seems pretty crazy that these things have anything in common yet it's true. Everyday more than 200 million people log on and start posting. It has become an obsession for many and although helpful in a many ways, it's not hard once you start, not to become hooked. What is this thing causing so much commotion? It's a place where everyone can chat, post, and comment to people all over the world without leaving the comfort of their own homes. It's Facebook.

An average user spends minimum 55 minutes on Facebook everyday! It's kinda ironic how Facebook is supposedly social, yet if people are spending almost an hour everyday online instead of actually being with someone, it's not very social. Facebook, I find, is a very artificial interaction between people. Some people act totally different when online than they do in real life. Most people find it easier talking to someone when they can't see your face and when you type you can't really give it the same emotion as you would if you were actually taking to them in person.

Facebook has changed the way we look at communicating with people. Before all you could do was call someone, and before that all you could do is send a letter. Now there's Facebook. There's instant chat and an instant update of what all your friends are doing. It's crazy how far we've come! But now some people are taking this too far spending hours and hours of their day on Facebook when they actually could be spending time with friends or family. For some it has become an unhealthy obsession that is taking over their lives.

All in all, I'm not saying Facebook is a bad thing. I'm actually a fan myself, it's a pretty decent idea that you can do a lot with. All I'm saying is not to live your life on Facebook, consistently updating your status when you could be doing much more interesting stuff. So the next time you have an urge to boot up your computer and log into Facebook, hang out with someone in person, not virtually, it may be a totally different experience...

Commented on: Lizzie's Post!

Seize the Moment of Snow

You know that feeling you get when you see those white fluffy things falling from the sky. When they build, and pile on the ground higher and higher. It's at that time where you close your eyes and breath deep because you know tomorrow is going to be a good one. Why? Because there is going to be a snow day, one of the most anticipated part of winter. No school, no work and all play for one whole day in heaven.

When you wake up in the morning and look outside your window, its like a the world has transformed overnight and everything is covered in a soft, blanket of snow. The world is beautiful, the sun hitting the ice crystles in the snow with an almost blinding light. Kids are running around screaming while throwing snowballs at one another, while others sit around their fire place with hot chocolate reading a book all snuggled up and warm. Canada means snow, which equals coldness and hopefully some snow days tucked into the monthly calender.

The winter is here, weather or not we like it we just have to grin and bear through it. Those days that we get off, make it better than ever and supply you with some refreshment from those regular school days. The snow is here, the day is off, so seize this moment of being snowed in at home.

Olympic Dreams Of Gold

Imagine, standing on the highest of all the three podiums. The crowd roaring in your ears as loud as the ocean smacking its shores. You feel like you are on top of the world as you wave and smile out into the blinding flashing lights of photographers! This is what all athletes dream of. Night and day, it's what they are determined to do. They are dedicated, committed, and most of all believe in themselves that they can stand on the podium and represent their country proudly. This is what makes these athletes standout amongst all others and makes them true patriarchs and undeniably, indescribably the best of them all. But that medal just doesn't happen to land in your already open hands, you have to work. Work harder then you ever have before and you have to want it more then you ever have before.

Before this all happens, all the excitement and athletes actually preforming, the Olympics all start with a tiny flame that brings hope to so many people. That hope of a flame then grows and becomes a blaze and then a scorching fire with all the passion and love that everyone has for their sport. It travels all around the world, passes from person to person, from young and old. Then finally it reaches it's final destination, the place where it all takes place. The heart of the world for two weeks, Vancouver!

Its truly amazing and inspirational. The strength and willpower these people have just so they can represent their country and fulfill their hopes and dreams. But with all the pressure to be the top dog, it's very stressful and without their encouragement from fans, family and coaches it would be even more crummy. That brings up another point. Coaches. They are astounding! The key to success is a good coach, they become your family, they know everything about you and they push you to be the best you can be. Without them most athletes would be completely lost and wandering around like a lost puppy dog.

When Olympians enter the area where their event is to take place, I am sure that they are a bundle a nervous energy. Excited but not ready to let their country down and promising that they will try their absolute hardest. If they win they gain confidence, pride and memories that they will never forget, but if they fail to accomplish what they had wanted, they become depressed, still full of memories but much more different then those who have succeeded. They will analyze their movements and hope that next time, they will be the one with the flowers. That's whats so great about these people that they are not so easily to be pushed off their sport if they don't do so well. They reflect on what they did wrong and fix it so that they can be better. Role models are the words to describe this group of people.

So, when they bomb down the ski hill, triple lutz on the rink, or have a triple hat game, be proud! Remind yourself how they've worked so hard to get where they are, and their work will surely pay off even if they don't win gold. They now have the world's appreciation, love and focus. Cheer like you've never cheered before! Cheer not just for you're own country but for all of them because they all deserve your gratification for making it to a level of almost perfection. This is the time where everyone is gathered together. Keep in mind, the Olympics aren't just for winning and proving who's the best, its to bring everyone together with the love of sports.