Creating A Sustainable Christmas: How To Reduce Paper Waste Created By Junk Mail

Holiday junk mail is not only a nuisance, but it may also be harming our ecosystems, which isn’t holly-jolly at all. Mail around the holidays was once something special. Opening your mailbox in the month of December used to be an exciting experience of receiving hand-written cards, Christmas packages, and invitations for yuletide gatherings. Nowadays, mailboxes are stuffed with junk mail such as advertisements for things we won’t buy, coupons that will expire before we can use them, and catalogues for things we will just order off of Amazon instead. Despite “real” mail being in steep decline, advertisers are mailing more than ever over the holidays.

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President Trump

Donald J. Trump...is president of the United States of America…Oh @#$%&!...

David Rowe

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5 Things To Binge Watch Over March Break

March Break is upon us, and with it is a whole week of uninterrupted free-time, and what better way to spend that free time than finding a great show to distract you from your family and friends. So get ready your laptop and prepare to stream/download/pirate at least one of the following 5 shows.

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Gravity Falls Weirdmaggedon III: Take Back the Falls Review (Spoilers, duh)

After 40 episodes, mystery after mystery, fantastic characters, beautifully dramatic moments, and joke after joke, Gravity Falls ended last week to a viewership of 10.7 million people. The finale titled "Take Back the Falls" is a great blend of comedy, character development, and action (One of the best robot fights ever). The finale pitted two seasons worth of characters against the apocalyptic forces of Bill Cipher, it culminated in a battle between a heavily modified Mystery Shack and an omnipotent Cipher, the final repairing of the relationship between Stan and Ford, and a heart-warming ending that wraps up the whole story in a neat little bow.

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Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 Review (Spoilers)

The Hunger games series is one of the most popular franchises in recent years, appealing to boys, girls, and everything in between. I know that my own sister was sucked into the novels, and movies. I personally liked Mockingjay Part 2, as did many critics; ultimately it is the themes and ideas that the film portrays that is its strength; the division within the rebels, the manipulation of media and war, and the survival of people in the face of overwhelming odds.

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Gravity Fallls

Not every episode is like this, I promise

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10 Movies to Watch This Halloween

(Not in any specific order)

To those of us who are too old to go trick-or-treating, Halloween may be an excuse to stay home and pass on the celebration. But the truth is, even if you're not participating, you can still get into Halloween spirit this year!

So in celebration of the holiday that's fast approaching, here is a list of ten spooky movies you can watch this Halloween. It will include a short blurb and even a personal review, in a wide variety of genres. So even if you're not into horror, you can still find a movie that suits your taste.

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Why Can't I Write Anything?

      As you can tell I can't think of anything to write. The date is 2/14/2015 as of today. You know, I feel like I can't really talk to you (reader), this is just a way for me to record my thoughts. I'm gonna come up with a topic soon, hopefully by the end of this sentence. I can't stall forever.

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My Opinion, Death and Life, the Good and the Bad

 

First of all, this is my opinion; if the idea bugs you then don't bother reading. Secondly, I can't believe that this is what I'm doing for my post, seriously, my second post and I choose DEATH as my topic. Who cares, I'm doing it. Death obviously is very bad, but it also does some good, I will explain.

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Blood of Olympus Cover Revealed: My thoughts

The popular children's book series, the Heroes of Olympus, is coming to a close with the Blood of Olympus this fall, and the cover has been released.

This book will cap off ten years of stories set in the fictional Percy Jackson universe, featuring characters from the Percy Jackson & Olympians and the Heroes of Olympus series. For such a momentous book, the cover looks... underwhelming. 

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Artificial Actors: How Technology Can Now Resurrect Actors

Man has reached the point where death can be cheated. At least for entertainment purposes.

Actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, has recently passed away, but at a most unfortunate time. Hoffman played Plutarch Heavenbee, an important character in the Hunger Games film series. However, he has left the role dangling as the final installment of the Hunger Games has yet to be filmed. Rather than replace him with another actor, the filmmakers of the Hunger Games are trying a new route- recreating him digitally.

Computer animation has reached the point where it can create a computer avatar that will look, move, and talk like a real person. It will look as if there is a real actor, not a digitally created character. This technology is planned to be used to recreate Hoffman and insert his computer double into the film. This technology is truly remarkable. Question is: is it ethical?

To take a person and use their face for your movie without their consent would breach a person's rights- even if they are dead. However, a legal argument  could be made stating that Hoffman signed a contract to star in the upcoming pictures of the Hunger Games franchise. Hoffman technically has to continue on with the movies as death is no longer a barrier to the filmmakers. He technically agreed to his continued appearance in the series, even if he was unaware of the measures to do it. And if this new technology of recreating actors continues, it will not have the same questionable ethic in it. The usage of computer doubles will probably be in contracts of now on, so actors will now know what they are going through.

The technology is very extraordinary and has questionable ethics, that are ultimately valid, due to contracts. This development may chronicle an exciting new direction in film-making, or fall out of favor due to attacks from critics. Only time will tell. But for fans of the Hunger Games, rejoice that Hoffman will return from the dead to save the series you love. 

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Number Of Students Abusing Stimulants Is On The Rise

  Students have long found refuge in the energizing effects of coffee and other caffeine containing products. But it seems these products no longer deliver the boost that modern students crave. This has lead to an ever-growing number of students abusing potentially dangerous prescription stimulants. The most common of these stimulants are drugs, typically prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), including Adderall (Dextroamphetamine) and Ritalin (Methylphenifdate). Students abuse these drugs with the hopes of increasing their ability to concentrate and focus. Students often obtain these medications by purchasing them from classmates who hold valid prescriptions or by falsely reporting symptoms to a doctor with hopes of receiving a prescription of their own. In Canada, the majority of these drugs are Schedule 1 controlled narcotics and are illegal to sell or possess without a valid prescription. Students who choose to abuse these drugs are increasing their risk of experiencing a number of health problems. Drugs of this nature can be extremely addictive possibly resulting in the development of life-destroying addictions. These drugs may be responsible for many physical health problems such as racing heart rate, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. This has become such an issue that the number of emergency-room visits related to stimulant abuse has more than doubled in the last five years. Despite the possible legal and health implications, the number of students who choose to abuse these medications continues to rise every day. As this problem progresses it will undoubtably have a substantial impact on the reliability of test scores, the health of our youth and the ability for those truly suffering from legitimate disorders to receive the medication they require.

Who knows what impact the increasing prevalence of stimulants may have on standardized 
testing and exams as a whole? In a couple years, we may not be taking exams at all.

If you have any concerns about yourself or someone you know there are a number of supports and services that can help, such as:
- Your Parents
- A trusted adult
- IRHS PCC office
- Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868)
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1-800-875-6213)
- Your local hospital

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Life After Oprah (By: Jordan Stothers)

A quarter of a century: that’s how long the legendary Oprah has had her hit talk show, Oprah. That’s longer than any of us students at the Ridge have even been alive. Twenty-five long, prosperous years full of Dr. Oz health facts, celebrity guests, Christmas giveaways and infamous couch jumpings on the popular Oprah show. Who cares about May 21st? It’s the 25th that’s the real doomsday date, when the final show of Oprah will be aired. For many, Oprah has been a source of inspiration. For us students and our younger siblings, she’s always been there. We’ve grown up in a world where Oprah has been the most powerful celebrity, thanks to her show. You want to win a presidential election? Just get Oprah to back you up, like Barack Obama did. Oprah can do anything. She’s like a superhero in heels and with a camera crew. You’re looking to redo your living room, and just don’t know where to start? Aunt Oprah will give her favourite interior decorator, Nate, and have him swing by with a whole new design. I can’t even remember a time when Oprah wasn’t around, picking books for her influential book club or dominating the list of most influential celebrity, for several years. She has shaped the television world and the real world alike. Everyone wants to be her, or find out that they’re her long lost sister or brother. Whoever says otherwise is a liar. Of course, this doesn’t mean the world has seen the last of Oprah Winfrey. She plans on devoting 100% of her time to her own network, fittingly titled OWN. However, this network doesn’t come free, and if anyone wants to get some quality time with Oprah, they’ll have to make a call to their network provider and chalk up some hard earned cash. Until then, there will be a gapping hole in her time slot, and in many hearts. When the ancient Egypt Pharaoh Ramses died, he had reigned for over ninety years. Egyptians didn’t know what to do with themselves. They thought it was the end of the world. Now it’s history all over again. The public won’t know what to do with themselves from 3-4, every weekday afternoon.

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Have the Academy Awards Maintained their Purpose? (By Amira Zubairi)

Hollywood celebrities gathered at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles as the 83rd Academy Awards took place on Sunday, February 27, 2010. Many actors, actresses, and filmmakers were honored in up to 25 categories including best picture, actor/actress in a leading role, costume design, and music. It took viewers a second to realize the show had begun when it opened with a montage of movies nominated for best picture. Hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway appeared in an opening sketch that located them inside Alec Baldwin's dream, shifting into an elevator scene with Morgan Freeman, which then included them into their own versions of scenes of other Oscar-nominated films.

Stars played it safe for this year’s Oscars with classic, pleasing gowns but not overdone hair. Reds, purples, pale blush, and metallic tones dominated the red carpet as Hollywood stars including Jennifer Lawrence, Sandra Bullock, and Jennifer Hudson took their places. The major jewels on flaunt in previous years were also toned down going for a classic and safe impression.

Some of the top winners included “The King’s Speech,” which took home four awards including picture, direction, best original screen play, and actor in a leading role. “Inception” was also one of the top films of the year winning five awards, which included best cinematography, sound editing, sound mixing, adopted screenplay, and visual effects. “Alice in Wonderland” received two awards for costume design and best art direction, while “Toy Story” was given the award for best-animated feature film and original music.

Although James Franco is a well-known actor with a stunning smile, hysterical roles, and an impressive personality in featured films and television shows, his performance as a co-host with Anne Hathaway was not as extraordinary as thought to be. Franco seemed completely uninterested in the event, while Hathaway was remarkably enthusiastic and outstandingly humorous. Audience members stood to former host Billy Crystal as the current hosts simply could not live up to his performance.

This year’s Oscars were a triumphant evening for many actors, actresses, and filmmakers. Many look forward to compelling and attention-grabbing films in the following year.

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