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Gpen Tent...Page 21

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Austin,Tx 2014

Photo Courtesy Of-Marcuz

Off 6th st & Red River

SXSW 2014

G pen Tent Showcase

To Be active In this Culture

You must be Apart Of Creating Art

When others Just see a Picture.

-Marcuz

Because the Internet...Page 20

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Austin,Tx 2014

Photo Courtesy Of-Marcuz

Art by Unknown Artist Off Red River st. Austin.Tx SXSW 2014

Because The Internet ...

Can make or break an artist

Now days

-Marcuz

Paige was so excited after she graduated high school, one step closer to becoming an adult. Next fall she would be off at college having the time of her life. She couldn’t wait to meet new people and explore new places. Concordia was where she would be attending, majoring in physical therapy.

It was the first of August, move in day had finally com. Paige and her boyfriend Garrett were headed upstate from her hometown, looking at the three hour drive they had ahead of them. The trip dragged on as Paige constantly watched in her rear view mirror at Garrett following in the truck behind. Garrett was two years younger than Paige, so he would have to head back home after helping Paige move in. When they had finally arrived at her new apartments she could barely contain herself any longer. Before she knew it she was holding the keys to her very own place! A place that she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, because it was hers. Garrett and Paige went up to the top floor, five apartments to the left, and there it was. Inside boxes started to pile in the empty home as Garrett brought in boxes, Paige unpacked them bit by bit. Finally once all the furniture was placed, the hollow rooms began to look like a living space and Paige and Garrett were thrilled. Garrett made dinner for the two of them and they spent the rest of the evening putting all of Paige’s belongings in their proper places. This was the only night alone they would ever have. The next morning Paige woke up and took a shower, but when she got out she found Garrett distressed. “I can’t do this to you, you need to experience college and have fun,” he said to her. He left her.

All alone in this new strange place that used to be full of promise and excitement, now looked like lonely, lifeless prison that she would remain in for the longest of time. Days went by slowly, in agony she laid in her bed with no desire to ever leave, crying during the night and sleeping few hours in the day whenever her body got exhausted enough to make her stop sobbing. A whole week had passed by and it was time to face the world. Her mother had come to visit along with Paige’s little sister. Her mother had understood what she was going though and tried to help in any way she could to get Paige back onto her feet again. Eventually Paige threw her hands to her sides and let the weight roll off of her shoulders. It was time for this to stop. No more moping around and staying down in the dumps, it was misery.

School would start in just two weeks, and Paige would be so grateful to see some familiar faces. The weekend before school started is when all the rest of the college students had started to migrate towards the area. When the students had arrived, so did the parties. Paige went to enjoy herself and wanted to have as much fun as possible. Is what should have been going on in her mind, instead forgetting him was the number one priority on her list. She had no problem fitting in with the crowd and drinking as much as she could before things started getting fuzzy in her mind. Even the alcohol couldn't keep her memories at bay and she continued to make bad decisions with her new care free attitude. She drunkenly got into bad situations with guys that in softer terms did not like her for her personality. None of that mattered to her of course, Paige just desperately wanted attention and to be loved. Lust is not love.

Even though she was unaware of the fact that she was getting better it was true. She continued to party, but with intentions on having fun instead of getting wasted. She met new people and started having a good time with her old high school friends that were going to Concordia as well. One weekend she was thrown off again and trying to drown her sorrows in alcohol and ended up puking her guts out. Her best friend and another guy rushed to help her and eventually got her to sleep on the couch. The next morning was one of the worst hangovers, so Paige, Blake, and Zach she later learned, headed into town to get Subway. There was a spark between Zach and her. She liked the way he showed her kindness at one of her worst moments.

After a few weeks a new relationship had sprouted. One of the fastest paced relationships she had ever been in, after just two weeks she was going to see his family with him. After two more weeks passed they were staying the night at each other’s places and shopping for groceries together. Paige felt like a whole new person, but happy all the same. Zach was a great guy, he was funny, sweet, and easygoing. They enjoyed spending their time together even if it meant doing their homework in the same room. She felt like her own person again and she had control over her feelings once more.

This of course had to be the time when Garrett came back into the picture. Just as Paige was getting better he decided to let her know how he felt. He claimed he missed her and begged for her to come back to him on a weekly basis. Even though she was content in a relationship with Zach, her feelings for Garrett had not yet submerged and stung just as bad when she started thinking of him again as they did when he left.

Paige was possibly worse now than she was before. With all of these options shoved in front of her face she had no idea witch one was best or cause the least amount to hurt. As if all of this wasn't enough to deal with, there was Austin. A man whom she shared several classes with, took interest in Paige and was sure to let her know. He was quiet yet quite hysterical at times. Austin was honest with Paige, and sometimes they would stay awake for hours just talking. She could say anything to him and he would just listen to her and offer the best response he could give. Even though Austin had strong feelings for Paige, he never let that get in the way of their friendship. He just wanted her to be happy.

Paige’s relationship started to degrade due to all the stress she carried around not knowing what correct answer was. She was short tempered at times and found herself lying awake at night hoping her thought could sort their way through all of it. Paige was absolutely baffled. She had no clue what to do and had mixed feelings for every one of the guys that wanted to be part of her life. Paige never wanted to hurt anyone. She spent her whole life pleasing others and maintaining harmony with others around her, and this made her happy. What she didn't realize was that in order to make everyone happy she was always putting her own feelings last and it was making her melancholy. She needed to figure out for herself what it was that she wanted, and whether or not that answer was the right choice. She needed to be happy again and she knew just what to do…

It was time for Paige to be on her own again. She needed this time for herself and she needed full autonomy to do whatever pleased her. She learned she couldn't carry around her loved ones forever, and it was not her duty to make decisions based upon the people around her. She had a duty to her heart and she had promised herself that day that she would never forget that duty so long as she lived.

Relationship Turmoil

A short story of heartbreak and happiness.

All alone in this new strange place...

forgetting him was the number one priority

She had a duty to her heart

pg. 3

Underage Drinking

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One of the many things that college is infamous for is parties. Students no longer live under the rule of their parents and are excited to be making their own choices. Many people use alcohol as a social lubricant, and in some ways it is. People tend to feel more relaxed and open up to others when they are intoxicated. Parties are also an effective way of meeting new people in college. Before going out and drinking, it would be wise to know a little information on the topic.

A small survey about underage drinking was created by the author and given to a variety of students on campus. The survey unveiled that most students drank on average three times a week. Most surveyors also reported going to parties almost every weekend. The majority of students that took this survey did just so happen to be under twenty-one, the legal drinking age in the US. A shocking 70% of college student admitted to driving under the influence. Last but not least, two thirds of the students surveyed said they believed underage drinking was acceptable. When asked why they did not think underage drinking was a problem some said, “as long as the person knows how to handle their alcohol” or, “only if the person drinking doesn’t become an alcoholic.” These statements were red flagged, how can anyone know for a fact if a person can handle their alcohol, and when have they gone too far?

Young people drink less often than adults over twenty-one, but when they do drink, they drink more than adults (NIH). When college students drink on the weekends they typically do not have a drink or two and call it good. For some reason, some people think it is a good idea to drink until they are falling all over the place and vomiting their innards out. When drinking gets to that point it is the body’s way of saying its time to stop, and it is rejecting any additional alcohol that cannot be processed through the liver. Those who only have a drink or two and stop are being slightly more responsible and most likely will not get in trouble, according to some. Little do minors know, if a party is busted and they are caught drinking, the amount consumed will not really matter. The obvious truth is they are underage and it is not legal for them to be drinking in the first place. Binge drinking can be a huge problem for minors. Alcohol poisoning can be caused from drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. This can sometimes lead to death or immediate medical attention.

One of the easiest ways to get caught drinking underage is getting busted at a party. Multiple minors can be given in a very short amount of time if college students are all drinking together and the police arrive. Minor-in-possession and underage drinking laws enforce punishment in forms of; revocation of driver’s license usually for at least 30 days), payment of fines, enrollment in alcohol education programs, and community service (Bergman). Always be cautious of what is posted online. Pictures of partying can affect education, future job employment, and many other personal matters. There are multiple risks to partying during college, for some people the risks are worth the fun, if they can even recall what happened that night. If intoxicated, remembering what exactly happened can be difficult and sometimes embarrassing. It is essential to always be aware and able to make wise decisions to avoid some major dilemmas that are usually associated with drinking such as rape, drug abuse, and drunk driving resulting in DUI's.

Driving while intoxicated. Getting into a car to drive after drinking is never a good idea. Getting into a car with someone who was drinking and now driving is never a good idea. If drinking is being undergone, it is best to plan ahead by having a sober driver or a place to stay if going home is not an option. When you drink and drive, your life is not the only one at risk, it is a threat to everyone. In 2010, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. That's one percent of the 112 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year (CDC).

None of this information is meant to scare people from ever drinking again. For some, this article will be forgotten by the end of the week when it is time to go out and have some fun. Underage drinking is unavoidable, the best thing to do is be smart about it. Drinking can effect college students in good ways as well as bad. As long as people are knowledgeable about their decisions while drinking alcohol, disasters can be avoided. Be safe and be smart!

Underage Drinking

Works Cited

Bergman, Paul. Underage Drinking and Minor-in-Possession Laws. n/d n/m 2014. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.

CDC. Drinking and Driving: A Threat to Everyone. 4 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.

pg. 2

Underage Drinking

College Parties...

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How do you get your hair to look like this? What products do you buy? Every girls question when seeing a magazine with fashion topics in it! First off we will talk about the type of shampoo and conditioner that we recommend for people who are looking for something that will really help your hair and is cheap. Like $6.00 cheap! L’OREAL is the number one recommended shampoo and conditioner! “With a reparative combo of ceramides and amino acids, this cleanser "glosses up dry, overstyled hair," says New York City hair pro Paul Cucinello. "Over time, it does real damage control” (health.com). And it don't stop there.

PRODUCTS

Fashion Diva

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CRAZILY DYED

Fashion Diva

The last hair style we will be talking about is the crazily dyed one. Not the cheapest but, pick any color you think that would look good in your hair, you’ll probably be feeling just wild and gorgeous! This could go one of two ways. A free spirit, nonconformist with eclectic taste or someone potentially crazy who wants attention. The free spirit doesn’t care what you think and just happens to like a certain wacky color; the attention-craver wants to be the free spirit but really is not and just wants everyone looking at her (glo.com). This hair style could get anyone’s attention and quick!

Why Am I Here?

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“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Although it often takes a while to find our given purpose, there are so many things worthy of our pursuit on this earth. Follow your heart and pray for His awesome guidance whenever you are unsure of where to go and what to do in life. The Bible says we are here to give God glory and to accomplish His will here on earth (Ephesians 5:11). We make God so incredibly happy when we do what He has planned for us! He loves us so much that He sent His one and only son to die on the cross for us (John 3: 16). How crazy is that!

Why

Here

Did You Know?

Jesus Christ literally holds us together. Our body has trillions of cells, which are connected and held together by this miraculous little thing called laminin. Laminin is a cross shaped protein that binds cells together. It never ceases to astound us how God created us is a way that He literally, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically holds us together.

Final Thoughts

I hope you now realize we all have worth and value. God created us and loves us no matter what. We are amazing creatures with many sides to us, but He appreciates them all. We are who we are, growing and expanding with each and every experience. We have no need to search for who we are, for what is the point in searching for what you already obtain?

Structure of laminin ->

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العنصرية

لكل مجال أخطار و مساوء . فالإعلام الرياضي يعاني من التعصب و العنصرية و المجال الفني يعاني من الخلافات و الإعلام العام يرفع من شئن العنصرية و يفرق بين القبائل و الشعوب . فمثلاً : تويتر و غيرة من وسائل الإعلام الحديثة الآن هي من أقوى أسباب سيادة هذه العنصرية . ديننا الاسلامي هو أكثر الأديان منعاً من العنصرية . فكان الخلفاء يقولون لبلال بن رباح "يا سيدنا ". ولكننا نقول مالا نفعل . أصبحنا نتبارز بالألقاب و الأسماء لا بالأفعال مثل غيرنا من الشعوب . غاليه الفتوح

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Is Beyonce A Feminist?: Why the Questioning of Beyonce's Brand of Feminism is Important

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"I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be."

-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"We should all be feminists"

TEDxEuston 2013

Is Beyonce A Feminist?: Why the Questioning of Beyonce's Brand of Feminism is Important

In 2013 Beyonce released her self-titled album to critical acclaim - and on the track "****Flawlwss" she states her political views on feminism, including a snippet of Chimamanda Adichi's speech "We Should all Be Feminists" to make her claim.

Beyonce's music in the past has usually contained some form of feminist rhetoric or woman empowerment in her lyrics, from the songs "Independent Woman" and "Survivor" during her time in Destiny's Child, to "Single Ladies" and "Irreplaceable" as a solo artist. It is interesting that the people questioning her feminism are often women who claim to be feminists as well.

Although many women argue that the reason Beyonce is subjugated to questioning is because of her status as a sex symbol in the music industry, her feminist beliefs are founded in the ideas that women can own their sexuality and embrace it in any way that is pleasing to them. This form of feminism is known as "Sex-positive".

The questioning of Beyonce's status as a feminist, is a reflection of how black feminists are often left out of conversations concerning women's issues because their values may not always match those of the mainstream. Black women are often hyper-sexualized in the media and Beyonce's role as a sex-positive entertainer may seem to be a contradiction to the views of mainstream feminism, but may represent the way black women can reclaim and own their sexuality.

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Works Cited

Goldberg, MD, J. (2014, August 8). ADHD in Children Health Center. Retrieved October 19, 2014, from www.webmd.com.

Grohol, J., & Martin, B. (2013, January 30). How is ADHD diagnosed? Retrieved October 18, 2014, from Psych Central.

Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (2005). Embrace Change to Meet Your Goals. In E. M. Hallowell , & J. J. Ratey, Delivered from Distraction: Getting the most out of life with ADHD (p. 380). New York City: Ballantine Books. Retrieved October 19, 2014

Hwang, K., & Paturel, A. (2014, June). Alternative Approaches to ADD/ADHD Treatment. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from Everyday Health.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2013, March 15). Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved October 19, 2014, from Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

Segal, J., & Smith, M. (2014, October). Diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adults. Retrieved October 20, 2014, from Helpguide.org.

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• Essential fatty acids. These fats, which include omega-3 oils, are necessary for the brain to function properly. Researchers are still investigating whether these may improve ADHD symptoms.

• Neurofeedback training. Also called electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback, this treatment involves regular sessions in which you focus on certain tasks while using a machine that shows brain wave patterns. Theoretically, you can learn to keep brain wave patterns active in the front of the brain — improving symptoms of ADHD. While this treatment looks very promising, more research is needed to see whether it works (Hwang & Paturel, 2014).

Tips for Living with ADHD

• Use folders for complete and incomplete school assignments.

• Use a daily planner to record and remember dates.

• Developing a plan for completing work.

• If you are living with a person with ADHD, you can play an important, supportive role in their ADHD management.

• Educate yourself about ADHD.

• Work together to establish a daily routine for chores and other household responsibilities.

• Focus on important issues and downplay those that are less critical (Grohol & Martin, 2013).

ADHD Treatment Overview

Treatment plans may include special education programs, psychological intervention, and drug treatment. Long-term treatment with a combination of medications and behavioral therapy is much better than just medication treatment, or no specific treatments in managing hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Those kids treated with both ADHD drugs and therapy also have better social skills (Goldberg, MD, 2014). Learn as much as you can about the options and talk them over with your child's health care provider so you can make the best plan for your child.

November 21, 2014

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Twentynine Palms High

Volume 1, Number 6 http://www.ownzee.com/deucenineyrbk November 21, 2014

THE INSIDE SCOOP

You Either Make It or You Don’t

Story by: Courtney Stanford

There are two words that every athlete trying out for a sport dread, and those two words are “you’re cut.” Some coaches are nice enough to say “sorry you didn't make it,” but both of these sayings have one thing in common: you did not make the team. However, coaches don’t say this for no reason. Every athlete in school gets a fair chance to prove their skills during tryout week. It all depends on the player and how they present themselves through their effort and attitude.

The girls’ and boys’ basketball and soccer teams are in the gym and on the field everyday after school, working their hardest to try and make the squad. There are only a limited number of spots on the team that can be filled, which makes getting on the team more difficult. There is a lot of irony in this situation because the main point of playing sports (besides having fun) is the chance to play against other teams; but in reality you are competing against your fellow classmates and friends in attempt to make the squad, or, if you are really good, get a starting position. All of the winter sports teams are trying their hardest to impress their coaches and push themselves into being the best they can be.

The boys’ basketball practices mainly consist of running because they have to get in shape for the upcoming season. The girls’ basketball team starts out with some laps around the gym, which then escalates to drills that have a lot more running. The main purpose of these drills is to get the girls in shape, especially for those who did not play a fall sport. Next they do shooting drills and practice their offense, and end off the practice with some scrimmaging.

The girls’ and boys’ soccer teams have been working hard in the weight room in previous weeks in order to get strong for their season, along with some major conditioning that includes a lot of running. They have mainly been practicing the fundamentals such as passing, footwork, and defensive and offensive plays. The girls’ team had to pass the Cooper’s test, a mile and a half run in under 13 minutes to make it on the Varsity team.

Tryout week is mainly about conditioning and preparing for the real season. It helps the coaches see those who are physically and mentally ready to play, and those who are not. Tryouts provide coaches with the opportunity to see how dedicated and coachable a player is to a sport, and whether or not they display the desire to succeed within a team. If they do, then there is no need to fear those dreadful two words.

Expanding the Wildcat Family

Story by: Rachael Lemon

Three teachers in sixty days. That was the time duration in which Mrs. Beasley’s former class suffered until Mrs. Quirante provided the relief that the students desperately needed. At the beginning of November, Mrs. Margaret Quirante, who goes by Mrs.Q, stepped in as the permanent English teacher in room 32.

During her high school career, Mrs. Q took a year to be an exchange student in Japan, where she fell in love with the Japanese culture. Continuing into college, she moved back to Japan to work in the news entertainment industry, which later took her to New York and Chicago.

That’s when Mrs. Q had a epiphany. Overwhelmed with passion, Mrs. Q became teary-eyed reflecting over the reasons why she became a teacher. Due to working in news entertainment, Mrs. Q was constantly covering stories that were negative. She needed a change, so she became a teacher to bring positivity to the world. “Taking upon a high school English class was a challenge that I was glad to take on” states Mrs. Q.

Having started off the year jumping between substitute teachers, Jasmine Rodriguez expresses that she could not be any happier to have Mrs.Q as a teacher. “Her style of teaching is not much different, and she was able to pick up the work we were doing and continue on where the others left off.”

Mrs. Q is exactly what the English department needed to bring equilibrium to the campus.

Gobbling Up Some Food

Story by: Ashton Henry

The Interact Club is making an effort to give food to 500 less fortunate families in the community. These families are given the food needed to have a plentiful Thanksgiving meal. They are lucky enough, with the help of the Interact Club, to have their dinners in their own homes rather than eating at a soup kitchen or going to the community meal at Breaking Bread. The food for the families include: a turkey, cranberries, rolls, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and a pumpkin pie.

The Interact Club has been managing the food drive since 1998. The club started out giving only 50 turkeys and 50 bags of food. Since then, the Interact Club has grown to 500 turkeys and 500 bags of food for the families.

When having the responsibility of giving 500 meals to families, something has to go wrong. Mrs. Cosgriff says “it’s a matter of what complication it will be this year.” One year, the turkey truck was an hour late. All of the families were already lined up and waiting to get their turkey. Cosgriff says “That was one of the biggest complications, but there is always a complication of making sure we have enough food for everyone.”

However, the Interact Club cannot fulfill this goal of 500 bags of food without the help of fellow Wildcats. Students are asked to bring in to their second period class canned and boxed food for the food drive. While some students do it out of the goodness of their hearts, others bring in the food to get some extra credit from their teachers. The Interact Club also gives a prize to the class who donates the most food.

Former student Scott Clinkscales decided he would spread the joy of giving by helping his brother Mark’s 2nd period English class donate canned food. Clinkscales was generous enough to donate over 150 cans of food to the class, putting them in first place for the Interact Club prize.

Whether you’re pitching in to see the gratefulness of these families, or trying to win the Interact prize, it’s all for a good cause and the Wildcats are willing to help every year.

Do I Have Worth?

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We are worth so much to God! We are precious beings, worthy of His love and adoration. We are worthy of His infinite affection. We are worthy of His infinite forgiveness. Sin does not separate us from God once we become part of God’s family. It took me personally a very long time to comprehend that I am worthy in the eyes of the Lord Almighty. Personally I felt as though I didn’t deserve forgiveness, mercy or love. I felt ashamed of my sins. Then I heard a speaker at a conference called Districts. Jennifer Strickland was a model who was recruited to move to Europe because she was (and is) beautiful. While abroad she was homesick, lonely, lost and without God. She endured being anorexic and weighing 110 pounds, despite being a tall woman, all for the sake of “beauty”. One lonely, dark night she found God and he forgave all her past mistakes.

Do I Have Worth?

Jennifer’s message is a powerful one. Her message is that there are many lies that Satan tells us. He (Satan) tells us our worth is found in a man and in the mirror. The deceiver says you are only as good as the man in front of you says you are. If he says you are worthless, you are. If he says you are beautiful, you are. This is not true because your worth and value does not change because a man decides to change his opinion of you. God’s opinion of you is the only one that matters. Letting human beings define us can shatter our hearts. We are beloved daughters of the King, making us princesses. We deserve to be in a relationship with a pure, loving man. Nevertheless, remember, man cannot fill that empty void in your heart, only God can (Strickland, 1).

Your worth is not found in the mirror. The mirror is always changing and never satisfied. Your looks may fade but true beauty is on the inside, not the outside. Our outside is temporary and not a reflection of our beauty and value. The mirror never says you are perfect and is never satisfied. It is exhausting to be a slave to the mirror. You need to stop thinking to yourself; maybe if I’m thinner he will like me. That number on the scale does not define you. You do not need to search for imperfections because you are a beautiful, valued child of God. Feed your inner beauty by feasting on the word of God. Always remember that you are worthy of God’s love and forgiveness. Jennifer has written several books about self-worth. I highly encourage you to read them if you so choose (Strickland, 1).

Who Am I?

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“Who are you, really?
You are not a name, a height, or a weight, or a gender.
You are not an age, and you are not where you are from.
You are your favorite books and the songs stuck in your head.
You are your thoughts and what you eat for breakfast on Saturday mornings.
You are a thousand things but everyone chooses to see the million things you are not.
You are not where you are from. You ARE where you’re going, and I’d like to go there too.”
By M.K.

Who Am I?

We love this quote here at “Think Up Magazine”. It shows the reality of the world and how judgmental of a place it can be, but we, as part of society, have the ability to change this cultural norm. What you need to realize is that what people think of you isn’t necessarily who you are, nor how you think of other people isn't necessarily who they are. “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged” (Mathew 7:1).

We are many things. God says we are made in His image to be like Him (Genesis 1:27). We are beautifully, fearfully, and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). God also says we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old is gone and the new has come. In God we find ourselves washed away from our past mistakes, pure and holy in His eyes. He sees our past as nonexistent because he accepts us for what and who WE are. We are our favorite books, drawings, and paintings. Everything that is created by us is a part of us in one way or another. We call it self-expression for a reason. They are expressions from inside our very being. You are creating something unique from nothing but your imagination. How absolutely wondrous is that?

The Lakers are bad: What to do with Kobe

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The Lakers are bad: What to do with Kobe

So was anyone really expecting it to be this bad? Becasue I sure as heck wasn't. The Los Angeles Lakers are off to the worst ten-game start in francise history with a 1-9 record, and a 136-115 loss to the Warriors on Sunday night was the proverbial icing on the cake. LA is in shambles, and not even the resurgence of the Clippers can shine light on the city that has seen its share of highs inside of Staples Center. The franchise that has 16 NBA Championships, is now the bottom feeder of the NBA. The only difference between the Lakers and the lowly Philadelphia 76ers is that the Sixers are trying to lose and be horrid, the Lakers just are. The folks in "Laker Land" still have false hope that they're supposed to be apart of the NBA's elite, just ask Jeanie Buss. Mitch Kupchak and crew thought it would be genius to ink the aging Kobe Bryant to a two year extension paying the "Black Mamba" over 24 million annually over the life of the contract. Good idea, dude! Now the Lakers not only suck, but they're stuck treading water. There's no room for improvement when you're overpaying an NBA legend on the down slope of his career, who still believes that he's still the same player he was ten years ago. Is this post a Kobe bashing? No, far from it actually. This is about trying to find a way to get Kobe help, or mostly get Kobe out.

Kobe scored 44 points in the Sunday night loss the Warriors, but despite the good scoring numbers, the Lakers offense looked awful. Point guard Jeremy Lin complained after the game about players being selfish and what not, so clearly the team is starting to get frustrated with how things are rolling along. It's been made very clear that Kobe can still score, he's averaging 27.3 points per game this season, but he's also made it clear that he can't be "the guy" on a contending team anymore. That's no jab at the "Black Mamba," the dude is one of the best shooting guards of all-time, not to mention one of my favorite players. I just hate to see him jack up shots just to keep his team in the game. He referenced the need for his high volume shooting after the Warriors loss.

"They came out and knocked down shots and put us in a hole pretty quick," Bryant said, per The Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "... I'd rather get guys involved early. That's always the intent. But when you go down 10-12 points in the hole, man, I've got to try to keep us in the ballgame at some point.”

Kobe really does make a great point, because if he's not scoring, who else will? Jeremy Lin ? Carlos Boozer ? ROBERT FREAKING SACRE ??

We know that this can't be an enjoyable ride for Kobe, and I hate to see his Hall-of-Fame career end in such a pathetic way. The Lakers tried but failed to land a top free-agent such as Carmelo Anthony in the summer, but the purple and gold whiffed the same way they did a year before while trying to re-sign Dwight Howard. So now there's only one other option for Kobe if he would like to end his career on a high note, and that's to abandon ship and get out of town as fast as you can!

Now you may be asking, what team would take on such an awful contract? The answer is simple, and somewhat of a no-brainer: the New York Knicks, duh! Of course it's the only other team in the NBA that spends money more carelessly that the Lakers! I first heard Grantland's Jalen Rose with the suggestion, and it actually sounds like an alright idea. Supposedly Phil Jackson is on board to take on Kobe's contract this upcoming offseason, and Jackson would then try to sign another big name to play along Kobe and Melo. Now who in there right mind would willingly sign up to play with high volume shooters such as Melo and Kobe? Who better than to-be free agent Marc Gasol?! The Spanish big-man would thrive as the center in a triangle offense, while we already know that Marc's older brother Pau Gasol was one of Kobe's favorite teammates. Of course this idea would only work if Kobe agreed to take a back-seat and be a third option, but if he did, Kobe would be set up nicely for success. The Lakers would be losing the Franchise's cornerstone, but if they truly want the best for their superstar and for their franchise, then they'll at least listen to offers. It would be a teary goodbye, but it's something that needs to happen.

Dark Souls Review

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Dark Souls is developer From Software’s spiritual successor to 2009’s Demon Souls, which was released exclusively to Sony. If there is one things the souls games are known for, it is their difficulty, with the slogan for Dark Souls being, “Prepare to Die.” Dark Souls ushered itself into the hardcore gaming scene promising difficulty, frustration, and plenty of rage quits; and did it deliver, often being cited as one of the most challenging and rewarding games of the decade.

Presentation: Dark Souls opens with a beautiful cinematic, that gives the player an idea of what is taking place in Lordran, while not divulging too much information. The main idea you are left with is that the world has fallen under a deep and dark curse, leaving humanity unable to live, but also unable to die and they are slowly becoming more “hollow” after each death. The only thing keeping this curse from consuming all of humanity is Lord Gwyn, who has sacrificed himself to stave off the darkness, however, Lord Gwyn’s power is fading, and a chosen undead may yet replace him

After picking your class and customizing the character chosen, you are ushered into the world, and the most likely thing you will first feel is that you are alone on this endeavor. This is not a game that will hold your hand with tutorials, maps, and checkpoints; Dark Souls has none of it because it believes that the player can make discoveries on their own, and that gives you a foreign but welcome feeling of empowerment. In fact the only piece of advice you are given is about an hour into the game, when a soldier sitting at a bonfire tells you that there are two bells; one above and one below, and if you ring them both something might happen. The absence of direction in this game means that the player may spend hours in a part of the world that their character isn’t ready for, but it also means that you are free to explore Lordran for yourself and make your own decisions without the game guiding you or having to help an NPC (non-player character) find something they lost in a cave, simply to keep the story moving. This format serves to help the story, as your character is a lost undead wandering the landscape for some unknown destiny, much like the player is wandering and searching for the unknown objective of the game.

The environments in Dark Souls are truly something to behold. Every new location has amazing verticality and stunning landscapes. This also serves to compliment the level design, which is intricate and fairly genius. Often times you will leave one area to discover it was just above another location your character previously journeyed, allowing you to look and see that castle you just came from in the distance.. Everything is woven and connected together brilliantly, and it give the player a sense of position. The level design also helps orient the player through other means. Areas that are juxtapositioned below their lofty counterparts are darker and more forlorn, whereas middle grounds tend to have more of an earthy feel, and areas of higher verticality are bright and effervescent in how they feel and look.

Gameplay: Every element of fighting in Dark Souls is weighty and precise. The movements are fluid and you get this feeling that the decisions you make in combat matter, because one misstep could mean the death of your character. Each enemy has certain attack patterns, and it is up to the player to find a chink in their opponent's armor. This game is hard and feels impossible at times, but it never plays unfairly. Each death, you know the mistake made that ended in defeat, and it spurs you on to get it right the next time. The only time frustrated me was due to glitches, where enemies would seemingly teleport to me, or hit me through walls and barriers.

I remember one time playing Dark Souls for five hours just trying to defeat a boss; frustrated beyond belief that Nito, Lord of the Undead had kept continually foiling my plans for victory. Staying patient and looking for some sort of weakness, I discovered that he was exceptionally weak to fire, and that if his army of skeletons were felled before they became an issue, I might be able to secure a victory. Trying again, I prevailed with a sense of victory and satisfaction that no other game has ever given me, because the game didn’t tell me what to do, it had been teaching me how to fend for myself since the beginning.

Multiplayer: Every meta interaction that a player has with Dark Souls, has an in game connection with the story. For example when you die and respawn, because in the game your character is an undead cursed with not being able to die. Messages to other players in the game are created by using an “orange soapstone”, and you can be summoned to other worlds with a “white soapstone” to help other players on their quests. This helps to prolong immersion in the game, because the player never has to think of a certain action as being something apart from the game.

There is this idea of a shared world in Dark Souls, where you can silently have experiences with other players without leaving your own playthrough. Bloodstains can be interacted with to show the player a ghost of another person and how they died, messages can be laid down to give advice to others such as, “boss ahead” or “treasure below”, and whenever a player rings the first bell in the cathedral, a resounding noise can be heard across many players worlds. It gives the player a sense of community and common struggle, and motivated me throughout the entire forty hour journey.

Final Thoughts: Dark Souls is a game for gamers, meaning that it could easily put off people who are not well versed in games of its stature. However it still serves to be an increasingly rewarding game due to brilliant environments and level design, fantastic game mechanics, and a well realized universe. It is sure to be a genre defining title in the years to come.

"Areas of higher verticality are bright and effervescent in how they feel and look."

Prepare to Die - A Dark Souls Review

By Tyler Thompson

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The tray held six little, green cabbage plants growing out of it. Turning the tray carefully upside down he gently squeezed the bottom part of one of the plants until it slid from its tray and landed in his hand.

Daddy handed that one to Mary and directed her where to drop it on the ground underneath the string. Roene and Jo pressed in for their turn, and so began our annual garden planting. I knelt down and felt the ground with my right hand. It had rained recently, but the ground was still hard and

unforgiving. This was going to be harder than I thought. I bit my lip and plunged in. Cupping my right hand, I held the plant in my left, stiffening my fingers I pushed them three inches into the ground. I scooped the dirt back to make about a three inch hole and dropped the plant in gently. Carefully, I mushed the dirt back up around it and patted it down, then moved on to the next one. Donny came along with a pail of water and dipped a bit out with an old sour cream container and poured it over the new plant. We continued in this way until the garden was finished about an hour and a half later.

When we finished, our little garden boasted two thick rows of green beans, twenty-five tomato plants, two zucchini plants, three cucumber plants, one row of cabbage and one row of cauliflower. It was a good little garden, and it had gone quickly and been fun with all the hands helping, even though it was painful to the fingers.

Diversity In Gaming

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Diversity in Gaming

There exists a problem in today’s video-game cultre. Go to your localgame store, close your eyes, and pluck from the wall any sealed plastic rectangle; chances are it has a middle-aged white male protagonist that you will be playing as for the whole eight-hour experience. Some people might ask why this is a problem; as long as the gameplay can be fun for everyone, what’s the big deal? In reality, the answer is as simple as this; the gaming population houses much more variety than just white twenty-something males. For example, with 48% of gamers being female to start. Our world is full of different people, and it’s time we appreciated that fact (Entertainment Software Association).

There is such importance in diversity. Not only is it important to everyone to be able to identify in some way with a character in a game, or even a movie; it is detrimental to society that we experience, on a daily basis, the viewpoints of other people. Imagine if every one of our games, we only played them from the view of one identity, again two things would happen; the alienation of everyone who did not fit the bill of our one-sided characters, and the distorted view of our misrepresented culture. I happen to fall under the description of the young white male; so it is important to me that there are some characters that I can identify with, and that if character-customization is an option, I have the ability to make someone that represents myself. However, I want to play as different characters! I want to play as powerful women, who are not just used as decorations in the background. I want to play as the thirty-something homosexual guy from Spain, as long as the characters are interesting. If a game developer can make a strong and dynamic cast of characters that the player can sympathize with, they should be successful regardless of the identity of those characters.

If we take a look at how games represent diversity today, we can see games that get it right, and games that get it wrong. There are two paths to take when trying to make a game cater to anyone who might pick it up. The first is to have complete customization of the character, allowing the player to truly be anyone they want. So if players want to be a six-foot-seven, androgynous, blue-skinned person; they got it! These games typically tend to have less of the narrative focused on the player themselves, and more on the events taking place around them. Games such as Dark Souls, The Sims, and Skyrim come to mind when thinking about this approach, and they all have something in common; the focal point of the story is on the events in the world around them, rather than the player. This is because you can’t write a story specific to a character who has a million different customization options, while bestowing upon them a rich backstory that does not feel completely generic.

The other strategy is to throw customization out the window, and replace it with a dynamic cast of characters. One of the best examples of this would have to be the Borderlands series. At the start of Borderlands 2 the player is given a choice between four very different characters: A short-statured Latino male, with a passion for all things guns, a well-built black male with an imposing voice and figure, a faceless assassin clad in black, and a bad-ass looking female “siren” or magic user. These are all fully realized characters with strengths and weaknesses that make them interesting. The game also includes a hilarious running dialogue seemingly satirizing the lack of diversity in this medium.

What about gender-equality in video games. With over half the gaming population housing the female audience, do games treat both genders equally? The short answer is no, but we are getting there. The problem currently tends to be a lack of strong female protagonists and characters in games; whereas the problem used to be anti-women tropes in video games. Think back to the original Mario or The Legend of Zelda games. The theme of both of these games, is that a woman you care about is repeatedly being stolen and no one but the male hero can save her; also referred to as the “damsel in distress trope”. I remember playing these games and being frustrated because I wanted Peach or Zelda to fight back and do something about the situation, instead of just waiting for their rescuer. These games were revolutionary and fun to play but even without the arguably sexist themes, you knew that the story arch would be the same in the next one; the love interest would be stolen, and you would save them. It made for a weak story and a bit of frustration.

Now, today, we see a different problem; games where you can only play as a man, the cast of characters are mainly men, and if there are women, they are the love interests of the men and nothing more than set pieces. Games like Assassins Creed and Call of Duty are notorious for this. In fact, when asked by fans why there were no female options for online multiplayer or any women included in the main cast of Assassin’s Creed Unity, game director Alex Amancio said that it would simply be too much work and stated, "It's double the animations, it's double the voices, all that stuff and double the visual assets. Especially because we have customizable assassins. It was really a lot of extra production work." However the former Assassin’s Creed designer Jonathan Cooper later stated, "In my educated opinion, I would estimate this to be a day or two's work. Not a replacement of 8,000 animations" (Farokhmanesh). This seems to be just sheer laziness on the side of developer Ubisoft, and rather disrespectful to the gaming population as a whole.

There are some serious issues plaguing diversity in gaming today, but there are/have been games that give us hope of a promising, exciting, and equal gaming future. Our world is full of interesting people, and it’s about time we started showing it in this medium

- By Tyler Thompson

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