50 Ways to Cure Boredom

Boredom is something that effects all of us. Boredom usually means too much time and not enough things to do. One of the biggest struggles of boredom is finding ways to get rid of it. Here are 50 simple things to do when you're bored.

1. If you have paint, paint something. It could be anything really.

2. Get into extreme couponing. If you don't know what that is watch the show on Netflix about it. 

3. Watch Little Woman of LA. Be careful this is very addictive.

4. Wash your, or your parents, car. Its surprisingly fun and productive. 

5. Make your own chalk, yes it's possible.

6. Make a dance routine to a song sung entirely in Spanish.

7. Memorize a rap.

8. Update your blog and write about your boredom. If you don't have a blog, get a blog.

9. Make a website about yourself. Feel free to lie about your accomplishments.

10. Become a master chef.

11. Make a pillow fort.

12. Depending on the time go stargazing or cloud watching with blankets and pillows.

13. Learn how to do gymnastics.

14. Do seven pushups.

15. Draw a self portrait and then send it to your mailman.

16. Take selfies with strangers.

17. Complete your spring cleaning.

18. Recite romantic poetry. 

19. Redecorate your bedroom.

20. Make a gourmet smoothie.

21. Craft. Don't forget the glitter.

22. Binge watch Netflix.

23. Go on an adventure to you local grocery store and buy some fruit.

24. Take a long walk.

25. Go snorkeling in a hot tub.

26. Make bath bombs.

27. Go on YouTube, find a DIY, and do that DIY.

28. Create a fun new hairstyle.

29. Take artsy photos for Instagram.

30. Either learn or make a new language.

31. Take a nap and dream.

32. Download angry birds and complete all the levels.

33. Listen to ethnic music.

34. Get some work done.

35. Have a lemonade stand.

36. Buy a fish.

37. Camp (with a tent) in your backyard.

38. Make a recipe.

39. Play with bubbles.

40. Try to be super healthy by eating vegetables and doing exercise.

41. Dip dye your hair.

42. Make a snow cone.

43. If you have animals dress them up in a totally humane way.

44. Find a new band and download all their songs.

45. Finger paint. 

46. Bake brownies or cookies and give them away to your neighbors.

47. Make homemade play dough.

48. Tie-Dye a shirt.

49. Find a pen-pal.

50. Read a book.

It is difficult for many people to overcome boredom but hopefully this article helped. Boredom is just an opportunity to go do something fun. Boredom comes in many different forms and so there are many different ways to overcome it.

Image Courtesy of Independent.co.uk

Roast Night

Saturday night on Comedy Central, Kevin Heart hosted a roast night for Justin Bieber. "Tonight we are gonna do what parents and the legal system should have done a long time, give the boy a butt-whooping he deserves." Kevin Heart said. The night had guest surprises and hilarious throw backs.

The night started with an embarrassing video montage of Justin’s crazy moments and goofy old songs. Later on, surprise guest’s Ludicris, comedian Natasha Legerro and Shaquille O'Neal took the stage Saturday on the Sony lot outside of Hollywood, where the Bieber roast was located. Also, Ron Burgundy, a.k.a Will Ferrell made an appearance to roast Justin with the other stars. “All the while, a purple suit-wearing Bieber either slapped his knee while busting a gut or sat quietly, looking like a frightened deer,” Peoples Magazine said. 

After the roast, Bieber took a surprising turn. Justin apologized for his past behaviors and ended the night in positive terms, with fans, roast watchers, and families. The night was a success for Comedy Central, and host Kevin Heart, with Justin on the show, the roast became a hit. f f f f f f f f  f f f f f f f f f  f f f f f  f f f f f f f  f f f f f f f f  f f f f f f  f f f  f d    d d d  d d d d d   d d d d d  d 

Flight 9525

On Tuesday a Germanwings A320 plane was crashed in the French Alps by the copilot Andreas Lubitz Killing the 150 passengers and crew members. Lubitz had been treated for depression starting after his training in 2009 for a year and a half. When the pilot left the cockpit to use the restroom, Lubitz locked the door behind him and started the planes decent while being totally silent. For the last few minutes the black box only picked up the noise of the rest of the passengers and crew yelling.

Two properties owned by Lubitz have been confiscated as well as his computer. The investigation is still ongoing, but they have found evidence of mental illness in his apartment. The police have not confirmed what it was, only that it was not a suicide note. Families of the victims are visiting Seyne-les-Alpes to pay their respects. Among the victims were sixteen students from a small German village and their two teachers retiring from a school exchange trip. Also on board were babies, two opera singers, and a pentagon contractor. There were 18 nationalities represented on the plane, though most were from Germany or Spain. Families are being asked to give DNA to identify the remains of the victims. Psychologist and other professionals have been sent to the town to help grieving family members.

After the three day investigation, they have yet to find the second black box, which records the planes flight data. It will hopefully give more insight into the crash and what happened before the plane started it's decline.

The crash site

Netflix

It looks like Netflix is slowly changing the way people watch TV shows and movies.  It is now easier to go on binge watching extravaganzas, find new shows, and it recommends shows based on what you have already watched. With all of this, it is not a surprise how so many people are switching over to the video streaming site.

By the second quarter of 2014, Netflix had more than 50 million subscribers globally. They have also created their own very popular shows such as Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. They have eared dozens of awards and nominations for their original shows. 

It seems like everyone is switching over to Netflix from HBO, Red Box and On Demand because it is more convenient. Netflix users can also create different profiles to suit different peoples tastes. It has a kids section too, so there is something for younger audiences to watch. Netflix has a verity of different sections such as Recommended for You, Popular on Netflix, Critically Acclaimed, and many  other genres.

Netflix has more content than anyone else right from the TV or laptop, and it seems like it is becoming more and more popular.

Netflix

Subaru Callbacks

Owners of Subaru car models 2009-2013 Subaru Forester, 2008-2011 Subaru Impreza WRX or WRX STI, and 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, WRX, or WRX STI need to get their cars brakes checked, and residents of "Salt Belt" States cars are being recalled immediately. The car breaks can be easily eroded by salt water, causing windshield wiper fluid to leak as well as slower breaking times.

For owners whose cars are or have been registered in the salt belt Subaru will recall the model, for owners in other states, Subaru will leave contacting them about their potential car problems to local dealers but will pay for a brake repairs upon request.

 The Salt Belt states are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus Washington, D.C.

They are recalling about 198,900 of these models of cars after recalling 660,000 cars for this same reason this last summer.

Subaru

Taj Mahal Pollution

                           Taj Mahal Pollution

In 1632, an emperor named Shah Jahan decided to build the Taj Mahal as a burial place for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Around 20,000 laborers spent 22 years building the amazing monument. In 2007 the Jaj Mahal was named one of the seven wonders of the world and that is quite a feat. And now 383 years later, it is not as white as it was. People have suspected air pollution  for a long time, but not with proof. A recent study found that much of the brown color comes from the dust from nearby farms. It’s common for people to burn cow dung for cooking fuel and to burn their trash. This releases soot, which sticks to buildings. Poll- utants from cars, trucks, and coal-burning factor- ies also have discolored the white marble. Using wet clay and patience, people have managed to take off the stains, but they have just put off the inevitable, the In the past few decades, some efforts have been made to reduce pollution around the Taj Mahal, including banning vehicles near the site. But now they have taken more jurassic measures. In January, Agra’s government banned the burning of cow dung in the city. People in the area may now also get fined for burning garbage. It They are still looking for more ways to cut down on air pollution in the area. Keeping such an amazing building with phenomenal history is extremely important in many ways. Hopefully people can change their ways to make sure we preserve such an outstanding building.

Cite:

Lowe, Lindsay. "All Classroom Magazines." Clearing the Air. Scholastic News, 13 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. <http://magazines.scholastic.com/news/2015/02/Clearing-the-Air>.

The Duff

The Duff, a hilarious teen movie, for tweens, teens, and adults.

The Duff is about a high-school senior Bianca who has a rude awakening when she learns that her classmates secretly know her as the DUFF “designated ugly fat friend” to her prettier and more popular friends. Desperate to reinvent herself, Bianca gets help from Wesley, a popular jock. In order to save her senior year from becoming a complete disaster, Bianca must find the confidence to overthrow a judgmental student and make the school a D.U.F.F free place.

The movie was a big hit and was sold out the first night it was shown at Metropolitan Red stone 8 Cinemas. The Duff was given a 7/10 stars and 64% rotten tomatoes. The new movie has been the talk of the school, and everyone has enjoyed the show. The Duff is great and I would love to see it again, the movie is mixed with romance, comedy, and some dramatics. “Hilarious  movie, and a great plot,” Robert Rebert a journalist said himself. 

If you haven't seen the movie, see it before it stops showing in theaters.

Pond Skimming

March 22, 2015, was an exciting day. Locals and visitors of Park City came to Canyons Resort for the  8th Annual Spring Grüv. Pond skimming is the major event of the day.   Many men, woman, and children signed up and joined the contest.  They plan for months what costume to wear or what theme a group will take on.  There was a green dragon, a chicken, there was a group of skiers with a yellow submarine on them, guys in bikinis and I personally, liked the old man from, “UP”.

 Pond skimming is very fun and exciting, all ages come to be part of the audience.  My friend , Sean Smith who is an ex olympians skier was the commentator. The skiers and borders go down a 200 yard slope and see how far they skim over a  pond. The skimming is a colorful, crazy, and fun event where people dress up in crazy and creative costumes to get the crowds attention.

The pond skimming is very enjoyable to watch. There were lots of young adults dressed in crazy outfits not participating but there just to be part of the fun.  There were kids and parents there just there to have a great time.  This year was an amazing year to be a contestant and an observer.  The weather was flawless spring skiing temperatures. I believe it was close to 70º degrees in the sun. Girls in bikini tops and ski pants and guys in t-shirts and shorts were everywhere. The weather made everyone so alive and happy. When the pond skimming was over there was a great band playing down at the base.  

The Three Books That Changed My Life

The Lion,The Witch, The Wardrobe, The Voyage of The Dawn Treader, and Stormbringer were the three books that changed Neil Gaiman’s life. Each of these books that he read became sentimental to him in various ways.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, was given to Neil by his neighbors, after he finished  reading the book, he fell in love with the story. He later received the whole series of books from his family on his seventh birthday. Neil’s days were mostly spent on his bed reading the books that he got on his birthday. This is the book that changed Neil’s aspect on reading. After reading the book he thought, “ Wouldn’t it be great to be an author writing your own thing,” And later on he became an author himself.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, was also given by his neighbors. It is a terrific book about a king and some unexpected companions that go on a voyage that will take them beyond all known lands. As they sail farther and farther from charted waters, they discover that their quest is more than they imagined and that the world's end is only the beginning. The Chronicles of Narnia set was given to Neil by his parents on his seventh birthday. 

Later on when Neil was nine years old, he found a book called Stormbringer written by Michael Moorecock. 

“The book made me plunge into a whole new world of genres,” said Gaiman. The book had changed his views on books, after reading Stormbringer he became more interested in fantasy and science fiction books. He called it, “finding new worlds when you find your new genre.”  This book showed him a new pathway of reading and expanded his taste in books.

These three books encouraged Neil to start writing,  such as comics, which later on encouraged him to start his first comic book three years later called “Sandman” which became a great hit and became well known at comic-con. After his comics, he started writing books, which are all well known, and one was turned into a movie, “Coraline,” Neil is a true inspiration to readers and writers all over the world.

Technology 101, Week 6

Hello everybody!
I did talk about Apple's problem last week in my news video, and I told myself that I was going to talk about something else.
Then they released the new MacBook. And that's something worth talking about.

Hit play and enjoy!

Fat Emoji Outrage

The new Facebook emoji called "Feeling Fat" has been removed due to all the complaints about the emoji being offensive. The petition for the removal of this emoji almost gathered more then 17,000 signatures. Catherine Weingarten is the person that is the leader of all the campaigners that want to take down the fat emoji. Facebook then removed the emoji and created a new one called "Feeling Stuffed"

Weird Food Combos 2k15- From Our Table to Yours

Feeling adventurous? Try these unusual food combinations to spice up your day (or don’t, the choice is up to you).

• choco taco (ice cream filled taco shell with chocolate sauce to coat the outside)
• strawberries and salsa on a tortilla chip
• tuna salad with ruffles chips
• pringles with nutella
• potato chips and peanut butter and jelly
• pickles and peanut butter
• cheetos and applesauce
• marshmallows and soy sauce
• marshmallows in lemon juice
• fries in a chocolate frosty
• chicken nuggets in a chocolate frosty
• chicken nuggets in chocolate pudding
• chicken nuggets in smoothies
• Old Bay on vanilla ice cream
• pickles and Nutella
• broccoli and ketchup
• cantaloupe and ketchup
• lettuce and salt
• spaghetti taco
• grilled cheese with ham and ranch dressing on top
• grilled cheese and peanut butter
• watermelon and balsamic vinegar
• strawberries and black pepper
• mac n cheese with sliced hot dog
• bacon and maple syrup
• scrambled eggs and maple syrup
• ice cream and bacon
• chocolate covered bacon
• ginger and milk chocolate
• chili powder and vanilla ice cream
• bacon and pistachios
• avocado and coffee
• chocolate and onion rings

The Art of Likability

Many people, especially junior high students, feel the need (and the inability) to be liked. What they may not know is that there are simple things you can do to become a more liked and likable person. Here are a few things you can do to bring out the best qualities in yourself and inevitably make others like you more.

• Ask questions
• People will be more likely to approach you if they know you’ll be engaged in what they’re saying. Asking questions is a great and easy way to show that you’re listening and interested in the conversation.
• Put away your phone
• No one wants to talk to someone who’s having another conversation with someone they can’t see. Put your phone down and have face to face conversations. This will show people that you’re open to talk to them. If you put all of your energy into a conversation, you’ll enjoy it more as well.
• Be genuine
• This one’s pretty self explanatory. No one likes a faker. Also, people will gravitate towards you if they feel like you are someone they can trust to be real.
• Don’t be judgmental
• Be open minded. People won’t want to start conversations with you if they know you’ll shoot their ideas down before they even get them out of their mouths.
• Don’t seek attention
• People will avoid you if you’re an attention seeker. People want real friends, not someone who is focused on how many friends (or followers) they have.
• Be consistent
• People are more likely to approach you if they know who they’re dealing with and can have an idea of what response to expect.
• Be comfortable in your own skin
• If you concentrate on your good qualities, others will too. : )

Inspired by http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2015/01/27/13-habits-of-exceptionally-likeable-people/

How to Make School More Bearable (If It Isn't Already)

Are you someone who simply doesn’t like school? Here are some ways to make your experience more enjoyable and possibly even more successful:

1. Set goals. It sounds like something your teacher would tell you to do, I know. Your goals don’t need to be academic, though they can be. You could set a goal to have a conversation with someone that you’re usually really shy around. You could set a goal to get all of your homework done before school even ends (but don’t do it if your teacher will be annoyed if they notice. You know how that goes.)
2. Start writing a story (if you like that sort of thing). When you finish your work, you can add onto it. Build upon it throughout the year and read it when school gets out for summer.
3. Make up backstories for the teachers that you don’t know much about. Maybe they’re really an undercover agent who teaches to get more information on the youth of the world… I don’t know, you decide.
4. Doodle during lectures. Make sure you’re still listening and possibly even taking notes, but for some people, doodling can help, not hurt, concentration.
5. Plan things after school. Have something to look forward to when school ends… besides homework! If you have something exciting, or even just moderately interesting, to do after school, school itself will me more fun!



Remember: None of this is supposed to make you less focused or more out of it in school, just to make it a little bit more bearable if it’s not already. If you try these things and you find you have no idea what your teacher has been blabbering on about for the last 10 minutes, maybe they’re not for you. Happy learning!

IN DEFENSE OF TEENAGERS

In a Facebook post on January 22, 2015, Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the NY Times Bestseller Eat, Pray, Love, wrote IN DEFENSE OF TEENAGERS. Here it is:

IN DEFENSE OF TEENAGERS

Dear Ones -

I was recently speaking at a public event, when a lovely 17-year-old girl stood up in the audience to ask me a question. She said, "What advice do you have for my generation? And where do you think we are going wrong?"

I looked at her sternly and said, "You know what's wrong with your generation?"

She braced herself bravely and said, "Tell me."

I replied, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I love your generation. You guys are wonderful. And don't listen to anybody who says otherwise."

The relief on her face was instant and immeasurable. It was clear she had never yet heard a good thing said about her generation. 

But I meant it.

Today's American teenagers are the most sensitive, least violent, least bullying, least racist, least homophobic, most globally-minded, most compassionate, most environmentally-conscious, least dogmatic, and overall kindest group of young people this country has ever known.

They were raised to be nice to each other. They have always been encouraged to be tolerant with each other. They weren't allowed to hit each other in the sandbox while adults looked the other way and let them "work it out on their own". They don't smoke as much as my generation did, they don't drink (or drink and drive) as much as my generation did, they don't beat each other up as much as my generation did, and they aren't as mean to each other as my generation was. They don't even have as much sex as my generation did.

Are they a little bit coddled, a little bit "soft"? 

You bet. And I love then for that. This world could use more a bit more softness, and a lot less toughness. 

They're gentler than we were at their age, truly.

So let's be gentle with them, in return.

Let's give them a break, and stop complaining about them.

Are they perfect? Of course not — they're teenagers. Do they live on their cellphones, and say "like" too much? Do they have short attention spans? Sure, but was there ever a teenager who had a long attention span? Do they listen to music that offends and even scares you? Whatever. (In fact: whatevs. When I was a teenager, adults were terrified that Satanic music was going to destroy the souls of our entire generation, and that Madonna's midriff would make us all grow up to be strippers —and is anybody worried now about the threat of Satanic music or Madonna's midriff ? Trust me, Miley's sexual provocations will someday seem just as quaint and harmless, in retrospect.) 

Are some kids today jerks? Sure, but show me a generation without jerks. I submit, in fact, that this is the least jerky generation yet. 

Do today's teenagers seem somewhat less motivated and ambitious than generations in the past? Could that possibly be because they have watched their elders drive themselves into a frenzy of debt and depression through constant consumer striving? Could it be that maybe they are questioning the whole rat race? 

And are there perhaps better virtues to cultivate than mere ambition?

I think so.

Like consider this, for instance: I know a 17 year-old straight boy who recently took his gay 17 year-old neighbor (his childhood best friend) to the prom. The straight boy wanted his gay friend to enjoy the experience of prom, and the gay boy didn't have a date, so the straight boy gallantly invited him. They rented tuxedos, a limo, took photos, danced, and had a ball. Nobody in their school batted an eye. And the real miracle is — the straight kid couldn't even understand why i thought this was such a big deal. To his mind, it was simple: He loved his buddy, and saw no reason why they couldn't go to the prom together as friends. Nothing about the situation made him feel threatened in the least. Nor did their classmates see it as strange. 

Such a scenario would have been unthinkable in my high school back in 1987, where kids who even seemed gay were routinely bullied — not only by their fellow students, but sometimes even by their teachers. And I went to school in the liberal Northeast. We considered ourselves PROGRESSIVE! 

Do we still have farther to go? Of course, but my hopes are that this generation will keep showing us the way to greater kindness.

If you have a teenager in your life, then, do try to appreciate him or her. I know they can be maddening, but they are also something quite special. (And as my 102 year-old grandmother once said to a room full of her descendants, who were complaining about KIDS THESE DAYS, "Hey! I knew ALL of you when you were 14, and you were all difficult. But you all turned out pretty good. These kids will turn out good, too.")

In fact, I think they will turn out great.

And if you ARE a teenager (which I know is unlikely, because this is Facebook, not Instagram, or Snapchat) just know that I think you're terrific. I admire your generation immensely. Don't let anyone try to tell you that we were better than you were, back when we were your age. Trust me: we were not better. I was there. I remember. 

I can't wait to see what this generation is going to make of the world, with such decency and such compassion bred into their bones.

It's an exciting time in history, and a good time. Believe me.

ONWARD,
LG (Elizabeth Gilbert)

New Animal Rescue

Sage Mountain Animal Rescue is a non-profit that is planed to open in the summer of 2015 in Brown’s Canyon one the outskirts of Park City. The founders Lauren Lockey and Dave Swartz decided to open a rescue and rehabilitation center for farm animals that have been abused and neglected. They hope to give the animals a better life by raising awareness and educating people. They also want to promote a more sustainable planet.

Sage Mountain Animal Rescue wants to educate people about the impact that animals have on the environment, local wildlife, our health, and the brutal conditions that many livestock will live through in their lives. They hope to inspire people to think of farm animals with the same compassion as they do their own pets. They will work closely with other shelters, humane societies, and law enforcement.

The shelter will not take animals that have been given up willingly by their owners, and cruelty charges must be filed in all cases. After they have been rehabilitated, all animals can be adopted only as family pets. The 162 acre rehabilitation center will be open to all animals as it develops, but their first shelter will be solely for pigs.

The Center

Floss Off

The First Annual “Floss Off” celebration for Oral Health Day on Friday, March 20th, 2015. On Friday all teachers will bring their students out front between Treasure Mountain and McPolin Elementary School to floss at 9:10. The reason we are doing this is to raise awareness about oral health. We will make it our mission to let everybody in Park City and beyond knows about it.

Tooth decay is one of the most prominent childhood disease; therefore our school TMJH will promote flossing, by hosting a school Floss Off. Leadership 1 and TEETH FIRST are promoting and preventing dental diseases. TMJH, PSHS, and McPolin

will join together to make this event spectacular and well known.

Dying in Vein Park CIty

Dying in Vein is a movie that follows three teenagers that have been addicted to heroin.
After ten years, one is living in sobriety, one still addicted, and one has overdosed. This movie is showing at The Prospector Theatre on Wednesday March 18th, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.The event doesn’t cost anything, except for the suggested donation of ten dollars. This film is discussing about one of the country’s fastest growing problem .This film production is sponsored by the Park City Film Series.This production is brought by a joint collaboration of the People’s Health Clinic, Jewish Family Services, and The Christian Center of Park City. 

Photo from http://www.ccofpc.org/events/

No Tardy March... What is the Real Question?

"Tardy is when you are late to class," said Ms. Hooker, explaining a phenomenon in which numbers have risen 50% this year compared to last in Treasure Mountain Junior High. Because of this acceleration in numbers, the school has begun a "No Tardies Contest" for the month of March.

Ms. Vicki, who works in the attendance office of TMJH, said that she believes that the reason tardies are up by such a large margin this year is because of a blatant "lack of respect for the clock."

That seems to be the extent of the knowledge on the mysterious tardy contest. It is like a black abyss, waiting to be explored… but no one is willing to enter.

No one knows what the prize is, or frankly anything else about the contest. How is anyone supposed to get motivation from an unknown prize? How is this contest going to work if Ms. Hooker is not going to mark James tardy so he will still be eligible for the contest? Is this really productive?

These are questions that have yet to be answered, questions that maybe will never be answered.

Zia Walther, Treasure Mountain Junior High 9th grader, says that she has been tardy a decent number of times, and that the contest is not good incentive to be on time to classes.

No Tardy March may be good idea, but the real question is, “Why doesn't anybody know or care about it?”

Photos of the Week: 3/1 - 3/7

In this article there will be a collection of the best pictures from the week of March 1st to March 7th. The best, and only the best, will be here. First, I would like to thank National Geographic for sharing their photographs with the TMJH Park City Post.

Photograph by Alex Majoli, National Geographic

Hellenic Cadets

Cadets from the Hellenic Military Academy tour the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Degraded by pollution, the ancient temple (to the goddess Athena) stands atop the Acropolis is being restored.

Photograph by Stefano Unterthiner, National Geographic

High-Forging Chamois

Springtime is when high-foraging chamois give birth; there are now about 8,000 in Italy’s Gran Paradiso National Park.

Photograph by Vedrana Tafra, National Geographic Your Shot

Falls in Autumn 

Dispersing fog and a moment of sunshine bring the falls and foliage of Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes National Park into view on an early autumn morning.

 

Photograph by Chris Prescott, National Geographic Your Shot

The Pinnacle

The summit of Sgurr Dearg, (also called) the Inaccessible Pinnacle, a famous feature of the Cuillin Ridge on Scotland’s Isle of Skye.

Photograph by John Warner, National Geographic Your Shot

Winter Lodgings

A solitary beaver pauses at dawn on its way home from a night of chewing off tree branches, newly within reach under the weight of freshly fallen snow.

Photograph by Felipe Jacome

Mixed Roots

The mangroves of the Cayapas Mataje Mangrove Reserve in northwestern Ecuador are the tallest in the world. The area is home to many Afro-Ecuadorian communities who rely on gathering black cockles that can be found in the mud of the mangroves and sold as a culinary delicacy.

Photograph by Yoh Fong Chan, National Geographic Your Shot

Catch of the Day

“The polar bears were usually playing, sleeping, and sometimes nursing,” writes Your Shot member Yoh Fong Chan of observing the bears in Kaktovik, Alaska. “They were hanging out near the shore during this time of the year, waiting for the sea to freeze before they could go out hunting for seals. On this very rare occasion, this bear came proudly from the horizon with its catch of the day.

Photograph by Reuters

Fireworks

Fireworks go off during the Beehive Rockets Festival, ahead of the Chinese Lantern Festival in Tainan, southern Taiwan, on March 4, 2015. It is believed by locals that bad luck will go away after one is "bombed" with beehive firecrackers, a tradition that has evolved into a huge tourist attraction.

Photograph by Vadim Ghirda/AP

Broken Bridge

A woman walks on a destroyed bridge on the road to the airport, which was the scene of heavy fighting, on her way to retrieve belongings from her home, in Donetsk, Ukraine, on March 1, 2015.

Photograph by Vadim Ghirda/AP

Mine Rescue Smoker

A Ukrainian mine rescue worker smokes after taking part in the search for bodies of miners killed in an explosion the day before. At more than 1,000 meters (3,200 feet) underground at the Zasyadko mine, in Donetsk, Ukraine, on March 5, 2015.

There it is, the ten best photos of the week. Another big thanks to National Geographic.

McDonalds Drop Chicken with Antibiotics

With chickens, as well as many other types of mass produced livestock, live in very poor conditions before they are sent to a store or restaurant. Since they are packed extremely close together, they must be given plenty of antibiotics to prevent the spread of disease. McDonalds saying that they will no longer buy chickens who have had such poor lives in dark cramped spaces. The fact that the biggest fast food restaurant is starting to do that makes it more likely that it will catch on.

McDonalds is taking such a big step because its competition is gaining customer loyalty and higher sales. Many people are worried that the antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness in human immune systems. The company sales went down 1.8% just last January. A human tooth being found in a container of fries in Japan did not seem to have helped their stocks either.

No fat chocolate milk and low fat milk will come from cows that have not been treated with rbST, an artificial growth hormone, that is currently used in McDonalds cows. Even though there is no evidence to suggest that the hormone in the milk is affecting humans, the company says that since it is important to customers they will be taking the hormone off of the menu. The international corporation seems to hope that changing some of their long standing regulations will help them stay at number one.

Lenard Nimoy's Death

This past Friday, Lenard Nimoy, the original Spock actor died at his house in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California at the age of 83. The internationally famous actor died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which he announced having a year ago. Besides being an actor, he also directed, poet, Singer-songwriter, and photographer.

He wrote two autobiographies, titled “I am Not Spock” in 1975 and “I Am Spock” twenty years later in 1995. He published numerous books about his photography and sang both pop songs as well as songs about the Star Trek series much to his fans delight. His numerous fans, called Trekkies, remained loyal to him as well as other cast members long after the original series was canceled in 1966 due to low ratings.

Nimoy played the alternate version of Mr. Spock in the reboot of Star Trek in 2009 and 2013 and regular Spock in ten other films between 1979 and 2002, two of which he directed. He was born in Boston to Jewish Ukrainian immigrants and started acting in local productions at a young age. He traveled to Hollywood in 1949 and got small roles in “Queen for a Day” and “Rhubarb”.

He was in the army for two years and spent the majority of his time stationed at Fort McPherson in Georgia. He went back to California to pursue acting. He earned a master’s in Spanish at Antioch University Austin and later an honorary Doctorate. He will be missed by both fans and coworkers.

New University of Utah Basketball Practice Facility

     A new “Basketball Training and Sport Performance Center” will be built on the University of Utah campus for the men’s and women's basketball teams, coaches, and helping staff. It will be a three story building, costing $36 million dollars. The estimated date for the facility to be finished is August of 2015. The building will include two gyms (one for each gender), brand new locker rooms, film rooms, saunas, lounge rooms, hall of fame, pool tables, and more.

     “This is a major basketball facility that will give us everything we need to be successful. It’s fantastic,” says Utah Athletics Director, Chris Hill. The two gyms will have many different hoops for the players to shoot at, with easy access to the locker rooms. Each player will have their own locker with shelves, and hooks for jerseys. Saunas will be in the locker room, and a weight room and a training room near the gyms and lockers.

     “It’s not a facility that’s gonna keep us up with the Pac-12… I truly believe, and when you see the pictures and you see the finished product, it’s going to set the bar for the Pac-12,” said the Men’s Basketball Head Coach, Larry Krystkowiak. The film room will contain rows of chairs and a large screen for the players to watch videos of themselves, and other Pac-12 teams playing. 

     Will there be space for the coaches and helping staff? Yes, there will be meeting rooms, and offices for staff and coaching. There will be a balcony on top of the building with breathtaking views of the mountains, The University of Utah Campus, and Downtown Salt Lake City. The lounge rooms will include pool tables, fuse ball tables, couches, projectors with videos, and more. The addition will be named the “Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball Practice Center”.
     To see a simulation of what the whole building will look like, watch this video!

High School Basketball State Championships

     The High School Basketball State Championships for men and women were hosted last Friday ( February 27th ), and Saturday ( February 28th ) at the Maverick Center. Many different schools (men and women) and leagues came to compete for the championship.

Men’s Teams and Scores:

   2A: Manti (60) and Emery (51)

   3A: Pine View (46) and Dixie (43)

   4A: Bountiful (66) and Kearns (54

   5A: Layton (48) and Brighton (46) 

Women’s Teams and Scores: 

   2A: Delta (45) and Kanab (37)

   3A: Juan Diego (67) and Morgan (47)

     Layton and Brighton played against each other, and even though Brighton was ahead by 13 points at one moment in the game, Layton came back for the win. “Layton was in need of a hero,” said Tom Wharton, witness of the win, and Fox News author. This hero was Senior Guard, Matt Cragun. “I felt like no one was taking over, so I stepped up and tried to be a leader,” Cragun said, after his 11 points in the second quarter. Layton Coach, Kelby Miller decided to switch his defense from zone, to man-to-man in the second quarter after the players begged for a change. 

     Juan Diego didn’t only win the state championships for women's 3A against Morgan, but they finished the season undefeated, and they have a story. Twins Monique and Dominique Mills (seniors) finished their season with a great final game. Monique finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, when Dominique finished with 16 points and a couple of rebounds. “They both played their butts off, they made this happen. They were the leaders this year. They made all this possible,” said (Juan Diego’s first year) coach Josh Archuleta. They played in honor of Juanita Archuleta (The coaches mother who suffered and died from her fourth round of breast cancer). They also played in honor of Sarah Christensen’s mother, (Janine Christensen) who died from a “cancerous brain tumor”. They wore pink t-shirts to show their love and support for cancer survivors.

     Sadly, The PCHS Mens Basketball team was eliminated from the playoffs when they played Ben Lomond. The final score was 57-46, and they were not expecting it. The seniors (Reid Marks and Boston Van Der Veur) were sad to see the season end so fast, but thought they played well on their last game. Their final season record was fifteen wins and seven. 

     The Park City Women's Basketball team lost their first playoff game, 55-32 to Uintah. The first half of the game they were going strong, but the second half got much tougher. In the third quarter they outscored Park City, 16-5. Coach White claimed that they couldn’t get any sort of momentum going, which made them fall short. They were missing some of their best players, Hannah Shluker and Marina Mayo, but they thought they played even without them, although they could have used the help. The highest scorer was Jessica Perry with thirteen points, and next in line was Rachel Brothers with six points.

Top Five Things a New Student Needs to Know

I’m a new student at Treasure Mountain and I found five things a new student needs to know like how to use computers and where to find the classes and knowing your schedule. We have a very good tech office and they help the students learn about computers. Students also help me to learn how to use a computer and the teachers are also friendly and their helping me get used to stuff that i’m not used to. When your you want to check out the rooms before you go to classes, you can meet your teachers because knowing your teacher is very important. They can help you in your classes and you can ask your teachers when to go out and pack up your things when your class is almost done because it's really hard to walk in the hallway when there are so many people. Before school starts getting your notebooks and pencil or ball pen because they don't give you your laptop until you're in the school for 3 to 4 days. These five things can help you a lot, and helped me, when your a new student.

National Pancake Day 2015

National pancake day occurred Tuesday, March 3.  Many people around the world worship one of their favorite foods, pancakes. I-Hop is giving complimentary buttermilk pancakes today from 7am to 10pm. I-Hop encourages guests to contribute $5.00 (what they would have paid for pancakes) to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Guests that donate $5.00 to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital receive a $5.00 coupon for their next visit. 

I-Hop has been giving free pancakes for over a decade and has raised $16 million to support charities.  I-Hop’s goal this year is to raise $3.5 million this year alone. All of the donations will be given to Children’s Miracle Network Hospital to buy equipment, procedures, and critical care for sick and injured kids.

Between February 1 and March 3 (National Pancake Day) when you dine at I-Hop and ask for a Miracle Balloon to donate to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital and can donate as little as $1 to help many kids.  If you donate $5 you will then get a $5 certificate for your next purchase. 

In conclusion, I-Hop has teamed up with the Children’s Miracle Hospital for National Pancake Day and for the Miracle Balloon Campaign.  I-Hop is giving out complimentary pancakes March 3, 7am to 10pm. They encourage you to donate $5, and in return you get a $5 coupon for your next visit. I-Hop gives all earnings to the Children’s Miracle Hospital to help pay for vital equipment for procedures