Senior Christian Walton says when he listen to his favorite band Linkin Park it gets him excited and pumped up ready to go.”I wake up to Linkin Park’”

Music can be used to bring back memories or comfort you in your darkest hours. I’m sure everyone wishes they could find that certain song they look for when they’re trying to get in a mood. Even when people are just trying to find some new music instead of listening to the same Lil Wayne or Adele  song on repeat, they may go to Pandora and pick the special “type” of music they are trying to find depending on what mood they are in.

How does Pandora know that you wanted to listen to that certain type of music? Pandora allows you to pick a station but not a specific song. This is great for people wanting to switch it up sometimes. This way you won’t be listing to the same song you’ve hear a million times already. It may come across that song you haven’t heard in years and bring back memories. When you pick a station it plays songs with the same type of melody or notes. If you don’t like some of the songs on the playlist, Pandora lets you “Thumbs down”  a song you don’t like therefore Pandora will not play the song as much or not at all.

As far as why a song is our favorite song, there is something about music that when we hear a certain song we re-live the emotion that we felt when we first heard that song. So that’s why when we recall a certain moment you connect it to a specific song. For some people that is not the case. They don’t listen to a song because it makes them feel good.  That doesn’t work on everybody. Other people just may like a song or artist because they may not like the words but the beat and rhythm attracts them or vice verse. Garrett Minefield, who’s favorite song is “Turn Up the Music” by Chris Brown  says “Well I’m a dancer and I like the way the music makes me feel and I like the many different styles of dance the song allows me to express myself.” Minefield is a dancer and is also in the marching band. ” I’m a band geek so the marching band playing the beat in Morris Brown excites me.”

The same thing with songs that we don’t like. We don’t like them for a specific reason. Whether or not we know what the reason is or that you don’t want to admit the reason. Such as the time when your in the car and you hear an  love song it makes you turn the channel or get out the car because it brings up old memories or unresolved feelings. Even though you hate the song, it always seems that you now the words to it.

Sophomore Aaliyah Fallen-Davis says ” I love all music. I like “Birthday Cake” by Rihanna ft. Chris Brown but i don’t like Rihanna”.

Some songs may affect us in a bad way. There maybe that one song that makes you shiver every time you hear it but yet in all you know all the lyrics because its stuck in your head. That is typically referred to as an “earworm” which is a tune stuck in your head either bad or good. The best way to cure an earworm to repeatedly play a more favored song over and over again. So the next time you have a  unpleasant song stuck in your mind, blast that song that gets your in the mood.

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Would you ever go skydiving? Senior Rachel Economos thinks not. She says, “I’m not a fan of airplanes or diving out of one to my death. It should be called ‘skydying.’” Perhaps a little too dramatic but possibly true. Approximately 1 in 100,000 skydivers will die from the sport each year. The number may seem frightening but in reality skydiving is much safer that simply riding in a car. Senior Charity McClain agrees with Rachel. When asked if she would ever go skydiving she says, “No. I’m terrified of heights and falling.” However, senior Andrew Fritch disagrees. He says, “It would be a fun experience to do something as exciting as skydiving. It would be a thrill rush to be that high in the air. Live your life and do what you can while you can. YOLO.” Well said. Personally, I think skydiving would be exhilarating and freeing as well. But not all are made out for such endeavors. As they always say, to each his own.

If you’re interested in skydiving, Sr. Avila suggests getting a group of 2 to 5 people together and going for it! Check out http://skydivecarolina.com/ or http://www.sciway.net/tourism/gliding.html for more details.

The Hunger Games opens with the words of the Treaty of Treason, describing the institution of the titular games as a reminder of the cost of rebellion. In this world, a nation called Panem has taken over the North American continent, and its tyrannical Capitol rules twelve outlying districts with an iron fist. Every year, the districts are forced to send a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to a televised arena battle to the death. With that premise in mind, we go to District 12.

It is Reaping Day for the 74th annual Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen’s little sister is chosen as tribute, and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers in her place. Her fellow tribute is a baker’s son named Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Lawrence delivers an award-worthy performance, accurately capturing Katniss’s outward strength (not to mention prowess with a bow) without downplaying her internal struggles.  Lawrence’s Katniss is a determined young woman who, while plagued by self-imposed emotional isolation and personal doubts, refuses to let the Games break her. I also enjoyed Hutcherson’s characterization of Peeta. From the beginning, he plays the moral voice of the movie, asking difficult questions about the Games and its effects. While he is physically strong, he is portrayed as being somewhat helpless in a survival situation; a satisfying reversal of traditional gender roles in the action genre.

The movie cuts to the train ride to the Capitol, where Katniss and Peeta begin to receive mentoring from past victor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson). Haymitch is a shameless alcoholic, but Harrleson infuses the role with underlying hatred for all the Capitol stands for and twinges of self-loathing that stem from his status as a victor. The dynamic between Haymitch and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), District 12′s Capitol appointed representative, is also excellent, providing most of the somewhat sparse comic relief in the film.

Upon arriving in the Capitol, Katniss meets Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), her stylist. Despite his somewhat limited screen time, Cinna is one of the strongest characters in the film. Kravitz perfectly captures Cinna’s quiet confidence and subtle rejection of Capitol norms. Also, he manages to rock gold guyliner and still maintain an aura of masculinity, so props for that. Donald Sutherland is quite effective as outwardly benevolent but coldly calculating President Snow, the absolute dictator of Panem. The Capitol also introduces an interesting new character to the storyline, Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley). Although the characters introduced in the Capitol were excellent, I disliked the overall presentation of the city. The Capitol itself looked like a cartoon and its citizens seemed overly superficial and ridiculous. While that is accurate to the book, I thought the movie focused on the absurdities and failed to remind the audience that the fervent crowds were cheering for the slaughter of children. Katniss and Peeta spend several days in the Capitol, training and attending ceremonies. Then, the Games begin (and my plot exposition ends).

As you can probably tell, I thought the acting and casting  were excellent. The characters were well-developed and dynamic, and I was more than satisfied (as someone who has read the novel multiple times). I wasn’t quite as fond of the cinematography, however. The camerawork frequently resorted to jerky flailing, random blurring, and off-centered closeups. While these techniques were very effective in parts to convey Katniss’s mental state (they also helped cut down on graphic violence to keep the film in PG-13 territory), I found them overused and even dizzying at times. That being said, I thought the overall atmosphere of the film was very moving. Among the camera angles, time manipulations, and powerful score (or equally effective silence in parts), I found myself lost in Katniss’s world. The resulting film is an emotional roller-coaster, with the audience feeling the grief, anger, and most of all, confused numbness brought on by the horrific absurdity of the circumstances. This emotional depth separates The Hunger Games from many films in the action genre: without it, this would simply be a movie about children killing each other with no apparent consequences.

The Hunger Games is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying films I have seen recently. It delivers a strong adaptation of the popular novel that should please diehard fans and newcomers alike. Perhaps my favorite thing about this movie, though, is that the production staff did not simply rely on name recognition for commercial success. They created a thought-provoking, carefully layered film that is more than capable of standing on its own. This is, quite simply, an adaptation done right. Think it sounds interesting? Go see it. And may the odds be ever in your favor.

Uriel Diez died last Sunday, and this is his obituary.

U.S. Files Against Apple

Apple has an antitrust lawsuit now.

The following are examples of posted information that is simply TOO PERSONAL to be displayed publicly on the internet.

Exhibit 1: tumblr

“Tell me mom, how am I supposed to be nice to you when you are not nice to me at all? You treat me like I don’t matter as a person, the way you think this is the army or something, the way you act like I bother you all the time. I know I should just ignore this but I CAN’T.”

As tragic as this situation seems to be, this kind of emotional release is better saved for discussion with a therapist, close friend, or relative.

Exhibit 2: facebook

“I eat gummy bears by tearing them limb from limb and eating their heads last.”

In other words, “Hi, my name is deranged and I’m a future serial killer.” On top of that, who really cares how you eat gummy bears?

Exhibit 3: instagram

(Picture deleted for salacious content)

1. Who told you this was appropriate for everyone to see?

2. Why is her hand strategically placed in that area?

3.  Those probably aren’t even real.

Not only is too much personal information not necessary, it also may be unsafe. Senior Riddhi Patel says, “Personally, I don’t like people knowing EVERYTHING about me so I don’t post or discuss personal matters… accepting everyone on the network and letting people know everything about you is dangerous, so I try to stay away from all of that, as that becomes kind of creepy.”

She brings up a valid point—if everyone you want to see it can see it, then everyone else probably can, too.

Junior Adam Parler agrees. He says, “When people start putting more personal things, like e-mail address, phone number, street address and even their credit card number, that’s when it gets to be too much. Basic information you wouldn’t mind giving to a total stranger is fine, but beyond that basic information, it isn’t a smart move.” The voice of reason says it all.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how much you want total strangers to know about you. If you want to post everything about yourself online, then that is your decision. Just remember, there are always consequences and you may be hiding behind the crutch of social networking. Senior Clara Formby articulates this idea: “I think it’s dumb that people choose to live their lives vicariously through social media rather than fostering good, tangible friendships.” If you try talking to someone, instead of just typing or posting about something, you may find the social situation to be far more rewarding than you had ever expected.

“What makes this show different from past shows is that it’s a lot darker. The music, the staging, the everything,” says Nathaniel Mullis who composed several portions of the show. He continues saying, “Not only that, it tells a story. It’s not just a show with music and drill, but a show with character.”

Titled as “Once Upon A Dream” the theme follows the story of a girl, donned in pigtails and pajamas, who falls asleep and drifts into a nightmare where demons are haunting her. To musically-savvy people, this story can be told just by listening to the music, which pulls its melody from “Mind Heist” by Zack Hemsey, a composition featured in the movie Inception. The show also features parts of the theme song for Freddy Krueger. Creepy.

Even aside from the bold descent into darkness, what makes this show different from the others is that the Colorguard is performing alongside the drumline. This seems somewhat hectic at first. Ten girls, tossing flags and rifles, in close proximity to ten drumline members, all that are carrying various sizes of drums, on a mat the size of a gym floor, all at the same time? Yes, this is crazy and at first, there weren’t many supporters of this decision.

“At first, I was dreading it, but now I can deal with them most of the time,” says sophomore and bass drum player Alex Ward. Well, no pain no gain, right? Even those in Colorguard didn’t necessarily agree with the change.

Sydney Key stated, “I didn’t like it at first, at all. I like it a little better now because it takes some pressure off of the color guard and keeps things fresh.” And with that, the show must go on.

It  begins with a soft, lullaby-like melody played by the front ensemble. (For those of you living outside of the realm of musical knowledge, the front ensemble consists of keyboard instruments–marimbas, vibraphones,  the xylophone. It also features electronic keyboards, synths, a bass guitar, a gong, a bass drum, and other small auxiliary percussion instruments that add color to the ensemble.) The lullaby gets softer and slower as the little girl drifts off to sleep and black-hooded figures circle around her. It’s not until they take off their hoods, revealing their darkened, demonic-looking faces (this even includes the usually angelic face of Abigail Aldred) that the sleeping victim realizes that she has awoken in a nightmare.

Hearing the music alone, one can almost feel a drop in their stomach at this moment. The girl screams and runs in terror from the drumline demons and the music intensifies as if hell has boiled over. Marimbas begin playing like madmen in an insane frenzy of pulsing rhythms. Layered over them are powerful, melodic chords played by the vibraphones, electronic keyboards, and synths. And over them are the drumline, that bang and pound out jarring, driving rhythms. Basically, the show is a concoction of layers and layers of eerie, creepy, beautiful horror. And that’s just the tip of the bloody iceberg. The rest you’ll just have to see for yourself. This all may sound like an exaggeration, but during North Augusta Indoor’s last performance, they ended up making a kid cry (hence, the hide your kids advice aforementioned). At least that’s what band director, Chuck Deen says.

The entire show features interesting techniques regarding both musical and visual perfomance from the drumline and front ensemble. During one part of the show, members of front ensemble quickly reach out towards the audience and lock eyes with someone, then pull in as if grabbing them. In another part, they lock eyes again with audience members and scream. The show requires all of the members to be engaged emotionally in the music and perform not only with their hands but with their body and their face. And of course, the color guard has to be just as lively and intense.

Nathaniel Mullis sums it up well, saying, “There’s a new level of complexity to it [the show]. More emotion hast to go into the show from the players. You have to really make the audience believe they’re in a nightmare or they’re going to lose interest.”

So far, it looks as if the dedication and desire of Indoor members is paying off. Already North Augusta’s Indoor Percussion Ensemble has received postive critiques in competition. They placed second in their most recent competition at T.L. Hanna and hope to do even better at their next competition on March 24th at South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, SC.  Indoor Percussion will be performing at the school March 22nd during the band concert for those of you interested in getting  small thrills, and I don’t know…maybe even having nightmares?

Update: North Augusta Indoor Percussion finished their season, winning second place in the Carolina Indoor Percussion Association (CIPA) championships against eleven other schools from around the southeast.

Everyone is bound to talk to their pet, cat or not, at some point in owning them. Senior Kristen Barbour, for instance, is welcomed home by two turtles named Ponyo and Sosuke and the first thing she says is “Babies, I missed you!” Whether you talk to your animal like another human being, in the sense that they can understand your words and (in certain instances) respond, or like a toddler that only understands baby talk and gibberish, we all do it. I find that when there isn’t a human that I can talk to about things, I just curl up with my cat and talk. Since there generally isn’t a great comprehension of what is being said, there’s an added comfort that your words won’t be regenerated. At the same time, though, there is still the understanding that emotions are being shared between human and animal and a bond is formed that is difficult to keep between humans.

Most animals have unconditional love towards their humans. The animal gets food, love, attention, and a nice warm home to live in, so who wouldn’t give unconditional love? Dogs are a man’s best friend, and they are known as being the most loyal and caring pet. They are one of the very few animals that will love their owners more than themselves. Most dogs know better than to bite the hand that feeds them, and because of this they are often very friendly and affectionate to the humans they encounter. It doesn’t matter who that person is (unless they were trained to attack certain people or can tell a person is bad) to the dog.

Cats, on the other hand, are very independent. Most cats will come to you when they want to, as apposed to the dog’s coming to you when you want them to. They think highly of themselves and are a very proud race of animal. But this doesn’t make them a bad race. Yes, dogs are very affectionate from the get go and will get along with practically everyone. With a cat, they’ll love you just as much, if not more. A cat thinks very similarly to a human (at least, to me they do). They understand the value of respect and dignity without going overboard. Though they are proud, they don’t have egos as large as a horse nor are they so selfish that they hate anything else that moves. Most people have this belief that a cat will avoid them and swat at them or try to attack them if they look at the cat wrong, but what they don’t realize is that cats don’t do that out of personal hate.

I’m a very strong believer in the fact that animals follow what their owners do. If their owner is closed and reserved towards other people, then the animal will act that way as well. If the owner is friendly and open to most everyone, then the animal is friendly and open as well. Many people don’t realize that those cats that do act horrendously or sit in the corner with a glare in it’s eyes get that from the owners. Maybe when it’s just the cat and it’s owner at home, the cat gets neglected. Pushed out of chairs, forced to sleep on the floor by the bed, not getting any lap time with it’s owner, etc. I know that my cats are both very different in demeanor. Cookie, our small fifteen year old cat, only likes us because we have a warm lap to curl up in. Anytime we want to play with her or pet her, she gets fairly skittish and chirps at us until we leave her alone. Skwrrly (don’t laugh at the spelling. My sister’s friend named him.) on the other hand is pretty shy if he doesn’t know the smell of someone. When it’s just us, he’ll curl up in my lap and purr for hours until I play with him. He’s a sucker for attention and has a constant motor of purrs that runs and doesn’t stop until he sees my sister.

The point is, if you’re one of those people that think cats are trash and will never be as good of a pet as dogs, then you’re wrong. You just haven’t found the right cat to pet and curl up with.

I’m not the only one who finds leggings to be a disgusting substitute for pants. Senior Mack Yates says, “I think it’s kind of [promiscuously suggestive and resembling the ideals of a strumpet] when girls wear just leggings; it’s a little too revealing.” I completely agree. Girls who wear leggings fall into one of two categories: (a) they have the wrong body type (a.k.a. 99% of girls) or (b) they look hot but cause guys to lust after them. Either way, they are searching for attention. If your goal is to seduce a guy, then wear a short skirt or at least something that covers your backside. Some people say, “It’s freedom of expression, I should be able to wear what I want.” This is true—to a certain extent. If someone wanted to walk around in their birthday suit, would they still have freedom of expression? If you really love leggings that much, then just wear something over them. The leggings themselves are fine but you need to cover yourself. “They don’t even resemble pants and they don’t look good on anyone really,” rants senior Carolyna Ramirez. True statement.

Consider this as well. What if guys decided that they liked gallivanting about town in boxers or tight Under Armor? Would girls be completely fine with that? Unlikely. Even though we (most of us) are attracted to males, that doesn’t mean we want to see them without proper pants on. Just the same, guys do not want to see every girl they know wear leggings out in public.

Look at the anatomy of the legging. It’s form-fitting (like a tight), spandex (like a bathing suit), and shows every curve (like a unitard). Would you wear tights, a bathing suit, or a unitard freely around town? Junior Hannah Reese makes a valid point: “If they were meant to be worn as pants, they would have a zipper and pockets.” To be considered pants, bottoms must be either made of jean/khaki (or another material of similar thickness) or loose enough to breathe in.

Girls: The next time you consider wearing leggings out of the house— DON’T.  They are NOT pants. And if you’re on the border about whether the bottoms you’re wearing are actually pants, just consult this easy-to-use diagram: https://s3.amazonaws.com/buzzfeed-media/Images/2011/05/AmIWearingPants_web.jpg. Help put an end to this horrible fashion trend.

The Best and Worst Ways to Wear Leggings

I remember when I was younger, my mother and I would walk around places and if she saw two people that were not of the same race together, she would always say, “Never date outside your race,” with a disgusted look on her face.  That is the reaction most people used to receive outside of school.  However, times are starting to change.  Instead of people receiving dirty looks and such for being in an interracial relationship, you have people giving you the stank eye for the being against it.  Even though racism has been around since the beginning of time, people everywhere have tried to change it.  Yes, even Shakespeare.  There have been theories that Shakespeare was in love with a black woman.  Possibly when he said, “This day’s black fate on more days doth depend: / This begins the woe others must end (Romeo and Juliet, 3.1),” He was talking about racism being the “woe”.  (See I wasn’t crazy by adding Shakespeare in the beginning.)  Sophomore Michael Rice says, “It’s not wrong or right for there to be interracial couples/friends, it’s a part of my family.”

Let’s see why people are racist.  Maybe its because it is simply just the way they were raised.  My parents were taught since they were born to not mix with others out side of their race.  Just as I was taught this.  Maybe it’s because something happened to a particular person by another race.  That would cause the brain to have you assume, everyone in that particular type of race is bad.

What do people here at North Augusta seem to think on inter-racial friends/couples? Sophomore Trevis Griffin says, “Race shouldn’t matter if the two people like/love each other.”  Freshman Jackson Poole agreed, “people are people and the only thing that matters is what is on the inside.”  This seems to be the view of quite a few people here at North Augusta, despite what some parents want.  People at North Augusta seem to be against racism now.  Maybe we are changing the “woe” of today.